Former United National Congress (UNC) minister and Oropouche MP Trevor Sudama received a standing ovation last night as he made a surprise appearance on a People's National Movement (PNM) platform in San Fernando.While Sudama said he is not a member of any political party, he launched a scathing attack on the People's Partnership (PP) as he took centre stage at Navet Road, San Fernando, where the PNM kicked off its local government elections campaign for the San Fernando City Corporation.
"We are facing a serious crisis in our society, he said.He said under the PP, delinquency and corruption were on the rise and the economy was going nowhere."There is a deep-seated malaise," he said, adding that there is a diminishing of integrity."What we are facing today are unprecedented levels of corruption," he said, eliciting cheers from the audience, some of whom had laughed when Sudama first took the stage."Deception and subterfuge," he said, had replaced honesty and integrity.
"For the future of our country it is imperative that we embark on a new direction in T&T," he said.While he stopped short of endorsing the PNM, Sudama said if the PNM "is committed to providing a new perspective for the vision of T&T, a new era of hope, then I will say that it has my best wishes."Rowley, addressing the political meeting at which the PNM's nine candidates for the San Fernando City Corporation were presented, described Sudama's appearance on the party's platform as a "significant thing."
He said Sudama's message is a call for citizens to stand up and be counted.He commended Sudama for being "strong enough and man enough" to openly speak about the state of affairs in T&T.Rowley declared: "The doors are wide open at the PNM. We do not have all the answers. All are welcome."
The Opposition Leader, together with other PNM party executives, hosted a two-fold event as they formally opened the party's new regional office at Navet Road, San Fernando, and presented the party's eight candidates for the SFCC.Leading the slate of candidates was former councilor Shaka Joseph, who will be contesting the Mon Repos/Navet electoral district, which he held in the last council.