She would not have been at home yesterday for any traditional pre-lighting-up activities.However, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, a Hindu, was hopeful that she would have made it back to T&T last evening in time to see Divali deyas lit, following her trip to St Lucia, recently hit by Hurricane Tomas.
The Divali holiday was a work day for Persad-Bissessar, whose off days are becoming even more few and far between now.Yesterday's St Lucia mission came in the wake of certain criticism which Government has sustained on its handling of the regional crisis.
If Persad-Bissessar received "stick" from some regional residents on her initial comments, it was probably because the compassion which Persad-Bissessar buffed the PNM for lacking (during the 2011 budget debate) seemed missing from her statements on regional aid post-Tomas.
(On Thursday she blamed the perception of coldness on a "headline.")But Persad-Bissessar's initial hesitancy on blank-cheque assistance could have been no surprise since she was maintaining the message she trumpeted to the region at July's Caricom summit in Jamaica.
The freshman Prime Minister declared her new administration's position: Godfather days gone.Or in the words Persad-Bissessar said she borrowed from an aide: T&T is not an ATM card.
The reaction to her recent reiteration of the position, however, would have proven yet another lesson for the new Government on regional issues: that emergency situations require different answers than stock responses from a country such as T&T.
Whether it was the Internet flack T&T received, regional threats to boycott local products–or the spirit of comradeship among regional leaders at Wednesday's funeral of the late Barbados PM–the result was a renewed position on assistance though brooking no compromise on the issue.
The "Helping Hands" project which Persad-Bissessar announced Thursday saves (some of) Government's face in the current regional issue, establishing a mechanism to handle future situations without taxing state resources.The exercise facilitated by Tomas has obviously helped Government understand the need for give and take–no pun intended–to maintain T&T's regional profile.
Particularly, with economic hard times ahead when all markets are crucial.Indeed, Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath last Tuesday acknowledged the economy is "flat"–a view subsequently echoed by UWI economist Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir.Bharath said Government is diversifying into other areas including agriculture. Therefore markets–including regional–will all be on T&T's radar.
Persad-Bissessar, who's witnessed the downfall of opponents–including her former party leader Basdeo Panday–has made a concerted effort to dot her political "i's" and cross the "t's."
Her neophyte administration, still forging its political identity, however lacks the luxury and room for ultra-drastic positions. Or an excess of mistakes despite its landslide victory.
The PP would have noticed how quickly the political star of the much-touted Obama administration for "change" in the US has faded, mired in economic woes. Most notably this week when Obama's Democrats lost control of the US Congress.
Locally, Government is still grappling with an issue that holds the potential to erode not only its popularity but also affect the local system if handled negatively.Cabinet on Thursday sent back the Clico matter to its Finance and General Purposes Committee's next meeting on Monday coming to obtain a recommendation after last Monday's F&GP failed to make a recommendation on several proposals regarding the issue.
PP sources said some views still favoured the Dookeran budget plan on the issue, though unpopular.Balancing proposed payouts in that matter–along with public servants' own– in a "flat" economy, regional assistance may therefore have to take the number it's handed by Government and wait its turn.
PNM problems pinpointed in party report
Also negotiating rocky Opposition straits, the recent storm is probably not high on the PNM's list of favourite topics right now following Opposition Leader Keith Rowley's apology on the issue.
The development has put the PNM on the back foot of sorts since it calls into question his judgment on the matter.
Whether such issues–as judgment–were pinpointed in the report of the 15-member team delivered to Wednesday's PNM General Council, PNMites said other matters for attention in the report included the need for more rapid response, a higher public PNM profile, inclusiveness, and consolidation at ground level.
PNM officials said the report "substantiated in print what people have complained about." Rowley's admission that the report was not "flattering" to PNM's administration confirms the need for work on all fronts.Whether (or not) PNM will indeed start tackling certain (long-standing) problems might be seen with next Friday's House of Representatives session on the bail bill debate.
The previous week former Prime Minister Patrick Manning had indicated to the party he would break his five-month silence in the House and lead off PNM debate while PNM chief whip Marlene McDonald had also insisted she would lead off.But fears of a jostle among the MPs for speaking space in the House's public precincts did not materialise since Government concluded proceedings that Friday without starting the bill.
It was slotted for debate on November 12 alongside legislation on the Children's Life Fund.While McDonald did not get to speak on the bill, nor did Manning either, he still made good on his promise to break his silence in the House when he paid tribute to late Barbadian PM David Thompson.
Following PNM's parliamentary caucus on Monday, party officials confirmed McDonald is "adamant" on her position of leading off PNM's reply on the bill next Friday.But having made his point–of breaking his silence–whether Manning intends to pursue leading off as well remains to be seen.Queries at his San Fernando East office Thursday yielded no indication.
However, PNM sources said Manning will speak in the debate "and it will be noticed."They said the issue with McDonald "...could have easily been resolved if egos weren't involved. As the former Prime Minister and leader, in that one instance where he wished to speak–and had considerable information to do so–he could easily have been accommodated to lead off.
"It should not have been a situation where people developed issues or insecurities about it. The PNM is supposed to be a team now–more than than providing opportunities to make the PP look good," they added.