A UNC tale of two leaders

While Member for St Augustine, Winston Dookeran, may have been returned unopposed as Political Leader of the United National Congress, Basdeo Panday, former Political Leader and now Chairman of the UNC, is making it crystal clear, if reports are correct, that he remains the Opposition Leader in Parliament and by extension the leader of the Party.   

What we must concern ourselves with here are not the perceived signals, but rather the realities. And although, traditionally, under the Westminster system the Political Leader of the Party with the largest number of seats in Parliament after the majority Party, providing he/she is an elected member of Parliament, becomes the Opposition Leader, there is a clear and understood break here with tradition. The same philosophy of Party Parliamentary leadership and ipso facto Prime Ministership holds good for the Party with the majority of seats. And if we use the United Kingdom, home to the Westminster tradition as an example the only occasion that there was a serious challenge to Parliamentary leadership by a Party Chairman was in 1945 when the British Labour Party was returned to power under Clement Atlee. Atlee dismissed the challenge and went on to be Prime Minister.

Unfortunately, the Atlee experience cannot be applied here as Dookeran is faced with three problems and the only person who appears able to solve them for him is Basdeo Panday. One is the perception ‘that he has been anointed by Panday, and the second is Section 83 of the 1976 Republican Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago. Section 83, sub Section (2) states explicitly: "The President shall, if the person concerned is willing to be appointed, appoint as Leader of the Opposition the member of the House of Representatives who, in his judgment is best able to command the support of the greatest number of members of the House of Representatives who do not support the Government."

The third is Section 83 which in sub Section 4 goes on to outline, among other provisions of the Constitution, how the Leader of the Opposition can have his appointment revoked. It defines: "Where in the judgment of the President, the Leader of the Opposition is no longer the member of the House of Representatives best able to command the support of a majority of those members of the House of Representatives who do not support the Government, the President shall revoke the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition."

This is not to dismiss Dookeran’s ability to be nor his potential as Leader of the Opposition. What is instructive here, however, is that the Basdeo Panday "slate" in the recently held internal Executive Committee elections of the United National Congress defeated by the wide margin of 13 to 5, the slate which had been promoted by many as the Winston Dookeran "slate."

The point I make here is this that the President is not likely to be of the view that Dookeran, based purely on Dookeran’s having been returned opposed as Political Leader in the October 2 internal UNC elections is "best able to command the support of the greatest number of members of the House of Representatives who do not support the Government." So that it does appear from where I sit that it is Panday and Panday alone who holds the key (forgive the cliche) to whether or not Dookeran will be allowed to wear the mantle of Leader of the Opposition. I am writing this Column on Monday.

In assessing the situation with respect to the UNC in the House of Representatives you have to put aside in your minds, as of now, the Westminster tradition as well as gently nudge to one side what should be implied in Dookeran’s being returned unopposed as Political Leader of the United National Congress and instead understand the realities of the Opposition politics to which the country is being asked to bear witness. Carefully study the lead story of the Newsday of Monday, October 9, as well as the second lead, written by Ria Taitt, both published on Page 3.

It was Aristotle, who in his work, Politics, would declare: "Man is a political animal", only to be followed centuries later by Albert Gomes, 1950-1956 Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industry, who while not denying Aristotle’s view, but perhaps in his way adding to it, stated: "In politics anything goes." Aristotle’s comment was always right. Gomes’ is being proven correct. The old Bertie Gomes must be chuckling in his grave.

What happens in the coming weeks and months will determine not only citizens’ perceptions of their politicians, but the perception of this country and millions of Caricom nationals. Dookeran must take the moral high ground and state clearly and decisively that he will not be prepared to stay on as Political Leader of the United National Congress unless full meaning is given to the post. Not merely Winston Dookeran, but Trinidad and Tobago deserves no less.

I switch gears. Mr Basdeo Panday, in delivering his reply on Monday, October 3 to the Budget Speech quoted from my Newsday Column of August 17 — "The Cocaine Untouchables." And while I appreciate the gesture of reading a portion into Hansard and making it a document of official record, unfortunately, Mr Panday did not stop there but sought to make it appear that I had taken a partisan approach. I quote the relevant portion of his presentation: "Mr Alleyne was very charitable in his Column. He did not directly call the authorities hypocrites, but he described them perfectly. I now ask the PNM Government: Is the Newsday also biased and against the Government? Or is it Mr Alleyne?"

For the benefit of those who may have heard Mr Panday’s speech live and/or read it in the newspapers I have never since I wrote my first newspaper Column in the now defunct Evening News in March of 1952, offered a biased opinion against any Government of this country and indeed of any country, any individual or any group. I wish to state for the record that in writing any Column I am neither for nor against the People’s National Movement Government nor for nor against the United National Congress. I have maintained an independent position and balance, free to be critical, free to praise, free to analyse. Additionally, for the record George Alleyne is not a card carrying, fee paying member of any political Party.