Warner: Too little too late from Govt

On the eve of a Cabinet meeting to discuss a suitable itinerary for former South Africa president Nelson Mandela, including whether or not he would be invited to address a joint assembly of the Parliament, CONCACAF president Jack Warner has withdrawn his request. In a statement yesterday, Warner cited the tardiness of the Government’s response — specifically the Prime Minister and Minister of Education — to his requests to have Mandela address the Parliament and to hold a rally for schoolchildren at the Queen’s Park Oval at 10.30 am on Friday, as the reason for the withdrawal.

“A letter sent to PM Manning on April 13 remains unanswered, rendering it impossible to convene a joint sitting of the TT Parliament for this purpose. A letter also sent to the Minister of Education, Hazel Manning, on the same date requesting permission to hold a rally... also remains unanswered,” Warner stated. He added, “As a consequence the general public will be invited en masse to the Oval to meet and greet Mandela.” The country would have an opportunity to listen to Mandela via a live broadcast of a speech at a Country Club luncheon, to which all members of Parliament are invited. Warner, who is in Cyprus, indicated that the deadline given by Mandela’s office had expired and that an alternative programme was approved yesterday.

By contrast, the Tobago end of the programme remains on schedule. Warner “extended thanks” to THA Secretary Orville London for “his wisdom in allowing the children of Tobago to meet with Mandela.” The children of Tobago would have the “distinct honour” of seeing Mandela “up close” on Saturday May 1, when he visits the sister island. The 86-year-old Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu are expected to arrive in Trinidad next Thursday evening for a two-day visit. Mandela and Tutu are on a lobbying mission to promote South Africa’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup. Diplomatic sources noted that it would be a major tragedy and one of the biggest ironies if Mandela, who is without equal in the world, is not accorded the highest level of reception — that is an invitation to address the country’s highest forum, the Parliament.

Mandela, who spent decades in jail, is a symbol against oppression and personifies the struggle for freedom and democracy. He is the epitome of the triumph of dignity and strength over adversity and evil. There is ample precedent for international figures addressing the Parliament. In 1967, Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie addressed a “joint assembly” of the Parliament in a visit to this country which was accorded much fanfare by the Eric Williams government. In July 1987, ANC president Oliver Tambo was accorded the same recognition by the ANR Robinson administration. At the time Tambo addressed the Parliament he (Tambo) was in exile and Mandela in prison.

In welcoming Tambo, then Speaker Nizam Mohammed, stated: “Honourable Mr President of the Senate, Honourable Members, I welcome all of you to this Joint Meeting of both House of Parliament. This meeting is to facilitate an address by Mr Oliver Tambo, president of the African National Congress... To have him in our Parliamentary Chamber is indicative not only of our commitment to parliamentary democracy but also symbolic of our total support for the liberation struggle and the system of Government they are advocating.”

Under the last Manning administration, the 77-year-old president of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma, was invited to address a “joint assembly” of the Parliament on May 30, 1995. Mandela is undoubtedly considered a much bigger international icon than all of these persons, diplomatic sources stated. Government sources said last night that the Cabinet would give “mature consideration on how Government and Trinidad and Tobago would acknowledge and respect the highly esteemed gentleman,” and would announce its decision after its regular Cabinet meeting today.