The vociferous and acrimonious campaigning for the Chaguanas West is over, with the victor never in doubt.The majority of that constituency's electorate faulted the PM and her Cabinet for ostracising Mr Warner and generally being ungrateful to Mr Warner after "he put she in government." Stopping short of calling the PM a "neemakaram," the electorate voted for the man who has served them well, who was their MP through thick and thin.
When the PM failed to listen to them they gave her a lesson in humility by voting for Mr Warner in droves. A traditional UNC seat went green, blocking out the rising sun.It's a humbling lesson for the PM and her Cabinet, who have lost touch with the grassroots people who elected her and her MPs to govern. It's time for them to step out of their Prados and start walking in their constituencies, hearing the concerns, the issues and making a concerted effort to make a difference.
Mr Warner did not reach the echelons of Fifa to become VP by not learning how to manoeuvre and strategise to win support. If one lesson that can be learnt from this election, it is that politicians need to remember who put them there. The power of democracy, the power of the electorate should not be easily forgotten or shunted aside.
The other political parties, the COP, TOP and the PNM, should not gloat at this turn of events, they should also look at the quality of their representation in their respective constituencies. Those who laugh at what happened in Chaguanas West would be foolish to think it can never happen to them. A disillusioned electorate is an angry electorate and MPs should be concerned.
People are fed up of talk of cabal, corruption and plundering of the Treasury. MPs were elected to serve the people, not line their pockets, because the money you steal now you will end up paying English-trained lawyers to prevent you from partying in the "big yard," and I am not referring to the Queen's Park Savannah.
Chaguanas West has spoken, they have chosen Mr Warner with his Fifa baggage and allegations of domestic corruption following in his wake. They have chosen what is familiar, they have chosen their anointed "Robin Hood," who has threatened to unleash a green revolution with the upcoming local government elections.
The PP government can learn from their mistakes and restore confidence in their ability to govern or Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessesar like her predecessor will pay the ultimate price for ignoring the electorate and in time she will become a single-term female
Prime Minister.
R Bernadette Shah