Manning’s smart move

That being the case, why did PM Patrick Manning make the abrupt about face and suddenly support the ruling of Judge Jamadar that the Trinity Cross was indeed a discriminatory symbol to many segments of TT society and thus should be changed.

Besides his comments in Parliament about obeying the law, his quick reaction to the judge’s ruling last week and his appointment of an eight member committee to not only look into changing the Trinity Cross, but also to look into other aspects of national symbols that may be discriminatory to certain parts of our multi-racial, multi-ethnic and multi-religious country is mind-boggling.

Mr Manning and his party have been in office for almost five years now could have chosen to implement the same exercise they are now touting, without a court forcing them to do so. And they did not, why? So what is behind this sudden change of heart? I believe it has something to do with the “impending bell-ringing” that the prime minister has so often spoken about.

I believe he is attempting to get one of the more annoying and contentious issues off the perpetual “back burner” and have it settled, thereby taking the issue off the national political radar when that bell finally tolls. By so doing, it will be one less issue the Opposition can go after the administration on.

If this is true, it is definitely a smart political maneuver by the PM.

What a pity he did not do it before and saved us a lot of needless heartache and wrenching of the national societal fabric over this issue. Again, he and his administration seem to be behind the eight ball and are in a reactive mode, rather than being proactive as they should. But as they say, better late than never. So good luck to the committee and may your recommendations be implemented sooner rather than later. If they are, my hope is that they help to repair these tears and rips in TT’s national psyche over this all important issue.