The COP internal election for a new political leader may well be a defining moment for the People's Partnership Government. Without the COP, there would have been no Partnership Government; without the Partnership the COP would not have been in government. Therefore, what happens in the COP must be of interest to the other parties in the Partnership, especially the dominant partner, the UNC. There are four candidates in the race so far: Prakash Ramadhar, Vernon DeLima, Anil Roberts and Nalini Dial. Dial is unlikely to gather much support. Previously this column had argued for the entry of Mr Ramadhar into the leadership contest, so let us first take a look at the other two and ask what is required of a COP leader at this point in time. In June of last year, I argued the following: "Notwithstanding the tremendous unpopularity of Mr Manning in the last election, his party's vote declined by only 14,000 across the country... The trends seem to indicate that floating voters usually vote against but rarely for someone. For example, in 2000 when the UNC government was able to increase their number of seats from 17 to 18, only 63 per cent of the eligible electorate chose to cast their ballot. In contrast, in 2002, when the stain of corruption had been stuck on the Panday Administration, 69.5 per cent of the population came forward to emphatically register their unwillingness to give the Government back to the UNC."
Under the present electoral system, the PNM is the default government. If there is a low voter turnout, the PNM will almost always win. If the Partnership wants to stay in office, it will have to present another attractive option to the electorate next election. No one party in the Partnership is likely to be able to do that on its own by then. The difference between government and opposition is indeed great. Out of office, the parties of the Partnership were all strong advocates for the major issues which they were championing-but they had no power to do anything. Out of office, the unions clamour for increased wages. The MSJ, a party rooted in the labour movement is part of the Government and in office, the minimum wage has been increased. Out of office the fiscal responsibility was a mantra of the COP. In office this has been realised. And so does the story go for the other Partners as well. This is relevant in relation to the COP elections because for the COP to maintain and build on its May 2010 strengths, it needs to be able to influence policy and demonstrate to its members that it can use its authority in Government.
Fundamentally, the COP needs to be an independent but solid partner in the People's Partnership. Mr Roberts, though a vocal and high profile member of the party, has not been working with or building the institutions of the party. Coupled with that, some COP members feel that having shed his COP bonafides and appeared on stage at the San Fernando Local Government rally (and in other places) in a yellow shirt with the UNC logo devoid of a COP emblem, his fidelity to the COP and therefore his suitability to lead must be questioned.
Mr DeLima is the other extreme. He "has the time" and wants to be able to speak out on issues from outside the Cabinet. He believes a Cabinet Minister cannot take Independent positions. If that is indeed so, then the COP should transform itself from a political party to a pressure group. If he were elected leader and he took positions and those positions were not supported by the COP members in the Cabinet, something would be wrong with his leadership, or with the structure of the party, or both. Conversely, if the COP ministers would be expected to support their leader, when he takes positions which may not always be in total consonance to the positions of the Government, then why can the leader himself not be in the Cabinet? In stark contrast to the other two gentlemen, Mr Ramadhar has argued that "the next Leader of the COP... must fashion himself not as an Opposition leader in waiting but as an influential and powerful member of the Government."
Further, he has said that he would: "Expand and strengthen the party and its institutions; Develop and further the legislative agenda of the COP and; Develop the structures of the People's Partnership."
In 2008, when he was acting leader during the absence of Winston Dookeran, the party achieved some of its most favourable media coverage after the 2007 defeat at the polls. Moreover, the party organs were energised and became active once again. Since becoming a Minister, he may not have rocked the boat too much, but as Mr Roberts can tell you, what is required to become a champion swimmer is not splash, but how well you pull and how powerful you kick underwater. Many people have been taking credit for his work but Mr Ramadhar has been consistently finding opportunities for COP supporters. Prakash Ramadhar is therefore best suited to lead the COP. Under his leadership, the party can grow and carve its independent space in the Partnership while being able to plan a long-term strategy around a leader whose political fortunes are on the rise.