COP politics has always been dirty

The election of a leader, even of a party that can only garner 15,000 votes in a general election, is serious business because just in case 20,000 people voted in the next election you could be the next government.

The election of a political leader is also about character and the COP membership would do well to remember the instances where all candidates displayed their character.

Two in particular are well known entities — Carolyn Seepersad- Bachan for her defence and active participation in the Cabinet of the People’s Partnership government during the five years it was in office and Nicole Dyer-Griffith for the same.

Both candidates have serious questions to answer and my question to Seepersad-Bachan would be: Why did you vote for the removal of the firetruck for some ungodly sum of money? Why did you remain in government and silent for five years during the worst abuses of power? Finally, why when you had a chance to remove yourself and the party from the PP government did you stay? My questions for Dyer-Griffith would be: Why was it you resigned in defence and support of your husband and not for the 500 reasons that your own party had given you? What benefits did you derive from your relationship with the PP government? Finally again, why when your members brought a motion to remove the COP from the PP government did you did not support it? So what can we say of the character that these two women displayed? First, theirs was of a weak nature and second they did not display the independent leadership that the COP so desperately needed, choosing instead to be followers.

SATU-ANN I RAMCHARAN Maraval