With a single purpose, they charged through village after village, cities and towns preaching the new PNM gospel. There were no frills, no bells and whistles, and no space for distractions in the single-minded "Let's do this" campaign to take over the baton of government. It was crisp yet emotionally charged and inspiring. The PNM's strategists and planners did not falter, didn't take bait and interrupted the competition as they compounded campaign disaster after disaster from the "No Rowley" train to nowhere, to a wheel of misfortune that entrapped them in their mischief.
He is the only sitting politician that risked his political career in a campaign against corruption and it is ironic that before now, the country, having lost so much of its reputation and wealth to bribery and fraud, had not looked beyond the manufactured veneer of an individual's image to his intellectual and courageous intervention on its behalf. It is equally ironic that so many people are still prepared to overlook corruption in the interest of tribal patronage and the benefits of welfare and infrastructural facilities. Interestingly, these material things, though necessary, are what politicians use to launder their corrupt image to the masses. They buy affection. Hopefully, the profound lessons inherent in past failures will enlighten the new Government and the Opposition as they journey through the challenging times ahead. Humility and subordination of private interests to the greater good of society will put them in good stead. As to civil society, it must continue to be vigilant and hold the Government accountable for its actions.
We should be proud of two things. First, apart from all the divisiveness, we have an excellent reputation for changing governments peacefully. The new Prime Minister assumed the mantle of leadership with grace, and the country now looks to the new Opposition to accept its different status with dignity and move on to perform its important role in governance. The country has no appetite for vendettas and obstructionists behaviours.
Identifying urgent priorities that need the co-operation of both arms of governance will be productive. It is why it was heartening to hear the new Prime Minister make a distinction between government and governance and emphasise inclusiveness. The Opposition is, of course, a member of the country's governance structure.
Second, we have consistently kicked governments out for corruption. The downside is that we have become tired going around in circles. We can only hope there is light now ahead of the corrosive tunnel and the new Government would honour its party's platform promise to deal decisively with any corruption, and not betray the electors' confidence.
A significant difference between the UNC/PP and the PNM campaigns was the PNM's team commitment to principled governance. It wasn't a one-man commitment. The red brigade's campaign wasn't about the leader being a monarch of all he surveyed and the only member of his party who mattered to the electors. Their campaign centred on a team of people with the energy and intellectual capacity to govern. The strategy linked each of the 41 members together by message and purpose. There were levelheadedness, humour, and sparks of diplomacy from individual members as they engaged the community in conversations. Contrasting presentations such as Ms Shamfa Cudjoe's during the PNM "ladies' night" and the last rally captivated audiences. Versatility, intelligence and down-to-earthiness recaptured 14 seats lost back in 2010.
There is so much to do now. So much rebuilding to be done, institutions to strengthen so they can serve the public efficiently, talent to acquire, and a judicial system including the Police Service and Prisons to facilitate in re-engineering their operations. There is the education system to evaluate and restructure as necessary to cater for current and future needs. Whatever the problem locally, regionally or globally, whether poverty eradication, crime reduction, environmental preservation, or solving energy and water problems, the critical component is education. There is a multitude of labour problems to address in the Public Service sectors of health, education, security and administration. That will not happen without a compact with the trade unions. Then there is the task of engaging and reinvigorating the private sector in entrepreneurial activities to diversify the economy. These are only some of the actions the new Government must undertake to rebuild the nation. Rebuilding the moral centre starts with restoring integrity to governance. That takes strength and resolve against the potent substance of power and temptations of the treasury. Still, power is a neutral force that gains the ability to destroy or build depending on how it is used. Used for the common good, it nurtures greatness. Used corruptly, it first destroys the minds of those who use it that way.
It is possible to make much headway in rebuilding the nation if the Government remains resolute as its leader and his team were when they plucked the PNM party from the ashes of 2010. They then stormed like an early morning sun to the seat of government.
It was the charge of the red brigade.?