Our politics, a one-man show

THE EDITOR:  Is our Parliament truly democratic,” a government by the people, for the people and in the interest of the people or is it only a sham. From prehistoric times our rulers reigned with supreme power, they were sole monarchs of all they surveyed, their right there was none to dispute; theirs was the Divine Right. In England the fall of the monarchy took place in 1649 with the beheading of King Charles 1 the despot, and thus the long and tedious battle was won and parliament became supreme. Our Parliament is based on the British system. Our Prime Minister became the sovereign with little or no power, and yet in the Caribbean the Prime Ministers have arrogated to themselves the Divine Right. Their actions fully illustrate this: “When I speak no dog bark” or “crapaud smoke your pipe,” or “you go to the dog house.”

Today, this party politics is creating yes men, stooges and cowards. Toeing the line has become the order of the day, what passes in Parliament is usually a one-man show. The Prime Minister, what he wants he gets, no member can oppose. Gone are the days of the independents, men who spoke with main and might as Captain Cipriani, Gomes, Roodal Kumar, Bhadase, Seukeran and others. The debates were of a high order, Parliament was admired and loved. In my humble opinion our present predicament can be solved by proportional representation when there will be several parties with their leaders, giving their own views; the one-man show will be obliterated.

SAMUEL DOODNATH
Penal