The actors and political institutions change, but the character of government and politicians, inclusive of all ruling parties and whichever government happens to be in office at a particular point in time, remains permanent. When in trouble that is often of their own making they, the governments and their political parties (actors, really), look around to find a whipping boy to receive the flogging they themselves thoroughly deserve.
In such circumstances the media and the opposition party, whichever one occupying the minor seats in the Parliament at the time, are singled out by the government to take the blame for its deficiencies.During the Basdeo Panday regimes, the media, the then chief justice, the opposition party and one or two other specially chosen people and institutions were singled out for special attention; they were considered "public enemies, enemies of the ruling party".
At the same time that Mr Panday was scouting around looking for fall guys for the obvious shortcomings of his administration, eg, managing the economy, countering rampant corruption, and presiding over a society in which there was contention about groups of citizens not being treated equally, all these matters and more were ignored, or were being paid little attention.
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