When Guardian Media arrived outside the Red House in Port-of-Spain yesterday, it seemed as if the chanting protesters were not singing from the same lyric sheet.
At first it sounded like, “No to Kangaloo! No to Kangaloo!” But after a few seconds, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that many were also chanting, “No to kangaroo! No to kangaroo!”
And a man parading a kangaroo mask on a stick confirmed suspicions. That man was United National Congress councillor for Avocat/San Francique North Doodnath Mayrhoo.
However, Mayrhoo said in spite of his prop, no one could claim he was being disrespectful to the now President- elect.
“I not saying Christine Kangaroo, I just said kangaroo, that is in no reference to Christine Kangaloo. This is the Carnival season and I brought a little humour to the protest,” Mayrhoo said.
But Mayrhoo also echoed the sentiments of his political party, saying the protest was to let the Government know they were not accepting Kangaloo as their President.
“Never before in the history of this country has a President come from the bowels of a political party and we are concerned if she will be fair to the population.”
But while the councillor, who was one of many UNC local government representatives in attendance, said the kangaroo’s head was merely a joke, for other protesters, their presence in the sun and rain in Port-of-Spain was no laughing matter.
Melvin Hosein told Guardian Media he came out on his birthday to protest, even if the result inside the Red House was a foregone conclusion.
“I come out for a good cause.This is wicked that Government doing people what they want. I rather put aside everything to have a good country. Since 2015 we sour, but we still trying, regardless of what they do today, we want them to know it wrong what they doing,” said the 60-year-old from Chaguanas.
But one person who said she could not join the dozens of UNC supporters on the pavement along Abercromby Street was activist Marsha Walker.
Walker is a familiar face whenever there are protests outside the Parliament. Standing in Woodford Square, Walker said the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) told her that was as far as she could go.
“Lo and behold I show up and everybody outside but I alone have to remain inside (Woodford Square), maybe it’s because I went up against Rowley, he scared,” Walker said.
Speaking of the Prime Minister, he arrived to tumultuous and predictable “boos” from the crowd with their traditional, “Rowley must go!” chant.
Unphased, the Prime Minister, in the confines of the Red House compound, spun to face them and returned their “boos” with a friendly wave of his hand.
This was, of course, in direct contrast to the arrival of Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who was mobbed by her enthusiastic supporters, with some holding her hand aloft with a combination of, “Rowley must go!” and, “We want Kamla!”
The Opposition Leader, however, could not spend much time with them, as she arrived at 1.29 pm for the 1.30 pm sitting of the Electoral College.
Minutes after her departure, the entire crowd dispersed and made their way to the awaiting maxi taxis, where one supporter loudly offered Guardian Media a meal of curry duck.
We politely declined.