Even before Monday's announcement of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election date, the battle was already on-in Trinidad. The Opposition PNM's attacks on the Section 34 issue had already provided something of a platform for its THA salvo. But the Government, replying and priming its Trinidad platform for the THA fight, got in some early punches more recently.
At this week's Divali Nagar closing, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar took accurate aim at PNM?leader Keith Rowley on his criticism of her bowing at the feet of the Indian president last year. Her verbal slap at Rowley, surprisingly during the religious event, reinforced UNC chairman Jack Warner's refusal to attend the Nagar alongside Rowley.
The Government also claimed a $1.3b victory on cancellation of PNM's offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). What might have been a third PP punch-moves to send Rowley to Parliament's Privileges Committee for alleged remarks about the acting President-were off target, however, when House Speaker Wade Mark yesterday ruled there was no case.
Rowley, unsurprisingly, backed down ("Leave me out of dat") on his comment about the PM's bowing. He would have realised, after the flames raised by the November 2 march against the Government which seared racial and religious lines during the Divali season, he couldn't have risked his recent moves to cultivate a national leadership profile by responding to Persad-Bissessar's barb.
After attending the Hindu community's Nagar (kurta clad et al) he would have alienated the community if he had reinforced his criticism of the bowing tradition.
Rowley, whose party sharply criticised Persad-Bissessar's 2010 makeover, might rethink his handlers' naive belief that clothing (kurtas) can make the political man. The PNM had already dismissed that concerning Persad-Bissessar. Any move to do the same would not only brand PNM copycats, but hypocritical ones also.
Opposition forces also suffered a minor setback when Kirk Meighoo's DNA and Phillip Alexander's Jericho Project which joined PNM, MSJ?and union against Government operations pulled out of their recently-formed roundtable. This, after the majority of groups declined DNA's proposal for a coalition, MSJ?leader David Abdulah said.
Quick thinking on the groups' part. PNM and MSJ's criticisms of PP's coalition format would have rebounded on them if they'd moved to coalition also. But the Government's challenges continue. Teachers' unions and the Highway Re-route Movement maintain pressure applied since the November 2 march.
Scepticism greeting Attorney General Anand Ramlogan's announcement of the Government's $1.3b OPV win also confirms how much credibility has been lost since the Section 34 issue despite the landmark win in the OPV?issue.
Credibility of all sides will fall under intensified scrutiny in campaigning for the January 21 THA elections. PNM has controlled THA since 2001. In the 2009 polls, however, TOP with one assembly seat, took three of PNM's 11. TOP?later swept PNM's hold on Tobago East and West in the 2010 elections.
Upcoming polls, therefore, hold implications for PNM?Tobago leader Orville London, his party's political future in T&T and its recent surge, plus party leader of two and a half years, Rowley, now bidding to broaden PNM's 56-year-old traditional base-the key to political life.
The same is true for TOP's Ashworth Jack, PP and Persad-Bissessar in the THA polls which, at mid-term of the PP administration, will preview one segment of the population's pronouncement on the Government's performance. THA elections among an electorate increased by 5,000-plus more voters since 2009 will present a new configuration of political forces doing battle.
Ex-partner MSJ will say tomorrow which direction it will take-whether contesting or supporting in some way-when its assembly geared at reinforcing its image as a political alternative presents MSJ?policies and programmes. Apart from PNM, TOP is also fighting Hochoy Charles' Platform for Truth (PFT) involving former TOP supporters of 2009, including Deborah Moore-Miggins and others.
PNM, launching its campaign with Tobago Day at Balisier House tomorrow,?hopes PFT?will split TOP's vote. But TOP chairman Terrrence Coker says, "PFT?cannot summon support sufficient to influence the polls. We've been holding meetings every weekend."