Mockery of real politics
THE EDITOR: Although it is said there’s a thin line between love and hate, it is still very difficult to believe that you can hate someone today and love them tomorrow. I am sure most of us will remember the vicious attacks carried out by Basdeo Panday against Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj only just a few years ago, descriptions of the worst kind with lots of hate in the tone. For he was accused of selling out to the PNM following the defeats the UNC suffered in the last two general elections and his exposure of corruption within his former party, which led to those defeats. But has anything changed? Absolutely not. Panday said he has "forgiven" Ramesh and Ramesh has probably "forgiven" Panday also. Sure, "love" is always better the second time around. What makes this episode such a mockery is that Panday and other officials of the UNC are before the court on various corruption charges, so it still doesn’t improve the image of the UNC. However, Ramesh now seems to be interested in being part of the UNC once again despite all these corruption allegations, a man who claims to be such an anti-corruption advocate. Where is the principle? Where is the new "political vehicle" that he has been promising to launch as another option? I suppose the "Panday faction" believes that Ramesh has a magical formula that will see the UNC returned to government, while the "Dookeran faction" believes that he’ll destroy what is left of the party. Does anyone in his or her right mind (including Ato) believe that there can be any stability in the UNC, whether there’s reconciliation between Panday and Ramesh? The UNC dwells in politics of bacchanal, deceit, undermining, tyranny and dictatorship. It is their culture and it won’t change even if Ramesh emerges as their new "Lord." Certainly, he would not be able to garner the longevity of "Lordship" as Panday, hence the reason that none of his "vehicles" could have gotten beyond a "launch." He has no other choice now than to ride on the support base of the UNC. Dookeran, as we all can see is not well respected, especially by those in leadership who pretended to be in support of him as Political Leader of the UNC, so the nastiness of the party (according to Roy Augustus) will continue to decay until they totally self-destruct. GARVIN WALTERS Tobago
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"Mockery of real politics"