Countdown to Mandela’s visit

Nelson Mandela holds no public office, heads no religion, represents no national monarchy, and is no box-office idol. Yet he is probably the most revered person on earth. As one local journalist puts it: “He’s right up there with God.” So why is it that before he has even landed here, a row has broken out between the Government and Concacaf, both vying for the greater glory from the great man. It is almost as if a week of Laramania has exhausted the country’s capacity for consensus in honouring our icons. And speaking of Lara, there is much to play for.

For example, isn’t it possible that Lara’s 400 runs created such a feel-good mood in the country that it became much easier for Prime Minister Patrick Manning to bring the ten-week ALNG strike to an end? The past three days have seen much disagreement between the Government and Concacaf ostensibly over diplomatic proprieties, but perhaps more to do with who will gain what from Mandela’s visit. Concacaf will gain the prestige of hosting Mandela, who will be wooing them to support South Africa in its bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Concacaf will also get a huge financial boost from patrons paying $1,000 a plate to dine with Mandela.

Concacaf President Jack Warner may also get the personal prestige of being the first person in TT to officially greet Mandela as he arrives at Piarco Airport on Thursday. But vying with Warner for this singular honour will be Prime Minister Patrick Manning. Government sources said that despite Concacaf arranging the visit, due to Mandela’s stature the visit must take on the status of an official visit. And there are other areas of conflicting interest between Government and Concacaf. Government sources have objected to the $1,000 per plate dinner, accusing Concacaf of using this world icon for its own mercenary purposes.

Concacaf’s choice of the Trinidad Country Club has also stirred up controversy. Reports suggest Manning may not attend. It might be a situation where Manning could be damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t. The other disagreement is over whether Mandela will formally address a joint sitting of Parliament. Warner had made the offer but withdrew it after alleging the Government had taken too long to respond. The Government has instead opted to hold an informal gathering in the Rotunda of the Red House, ignoring assurances by Chief Whip, Ganga Singh of good behaviour in the chamber by the Opposition.

The row first broke out on Thursday when Warner complained that the Government had ignored a letter of April 13 in which Concacaf offered for Mandela to address Parliament and to attend a public rally of schoolchildren. Saying the Government’s tardiness had now led him to withdraw his offers, Warner announced: “As a consequence the general public will be invited en masse to the Oval to meet and greet Mandela.” With Warner absent in Cyprus, the two main protagonists in the debate turned out to be his UNC colleague, Senator Roy Augustus, for Concacaf, and Minister of Legal Affairs, Danny Montano, acting in Foreign Affairs, for the Government.

Manning later stepped into the issue, vowing his Government would not be “trivialised, cornered or marginalised.”  Turning on the heat, Manning added: “We are not dealing with a group of people devoid of a political agenda. It is a pity that Nelson Mandela would get caught up in something like that.” So far Mandela’s schedule seems to be lunch at the Country Club, $1,000-dinner at the Centre of Excellence, public rally at the Oval, party for parliamentarians in the Red House Rotunda, and then on Friday onto Tobago. Newspaper editorials have lined up differently behind Manning and Warner. While Newsday chiefly blamed Manning, with minor blame going to Warner, another paper blamed Warner for the fiasco.