Like Basdeo Panday before him, Keith Rowley seems to be having some difficulty moving out of aggressive Opposition mode and into prime ministerial decorum. This was demonstrated by his manner on the Local Government campaign trail, in particular his roti remarks, but also in the post-election news conference where Dr Rowley actually went so far as to steups at a question posed by a journalist.
Questioned about the low voter turnout by Newsday's senior reporter Sean Douglas, Dr Rowley took the line that the question was irrelevant since only votes which had been cast counted. "I'm not sure that's true," Mr Douglas persisted, at which point Dr Rowley became exasperated, saying "You not sure? You in politics?" with the steups thrown in for good measure.
Dr Rowley's intemperate reaction may come to mark the point where–as always occurs–the political administration began seeing the media as the cause of its problems. Indeed, PNM chairman Franklin Khan, speaking on CNC3's Morning Brew programme, asserted that it was the media which made Dr Rowley's roti comment into an issue. This suggests that the PNM speech-writers and Dr Rowley himself were either too obtuse to realise how such a remark would be interpreted, or that they were deliberately using coded racial language which they are now trying to spin.
While weariness and disappointment at the results might account for Dr Rowley's irritable response at the news conference, such lack of civility also appears to be part of his temperament. As Prime Minister, however, he needs to temper his temper. To start with, Mr Douglas' query was not irrelevant, since he was asking Dr Rowley about the mandate or lack thereof implied by the apparent disinterest of voters. And, indeed, the low turnout has in the aftermath become the key talking point of the Local Government election, with several political analysts arguing that both the PNM and the United National Congress need to seriously consider what this implies for their parties and, more importantly, democracy in Trinidad and Tobago.
If, however, Dr Rowley and the PNM strategists hew privately as well as publicly to the line that only those who voted matter, this bodes ill for the quality of governance for the next four years. Moreover, even if this worries the ruling PNM privately, the unwillingness to admit that they are not reaching citizens in itself hampers governance. And here is where Dr Rowley's attitude becomes important. This is not a matter of the Prime Minister focusing on perceptions or even pretending to be amiable when this is not his persona. But it is possible to be plain-spoken and forceful without being unmannerly or descending into crudity. And this is a distinction which Dr Rowley seems not always able to maintain.
He would do well to remember the old saw that, in politics, perception is reality and that he has a reputation for being a "Rottweiler" and a "raging bull" due to these unfortunate labels being bestowed upon him by his predecessor, the late Patrick Manning. Thus, when Dr Rowley lets his frank manner get out of hand, he is only confirming an image which, during the 2015 general election campaign, his PR people tried to soften.
Given the disingenuousness of the standard politician, Dr Rowley's forthrightness can work to his advantage. But this can only happen if his attitude is based on transparency and basic good manners.