Build on Death March momentum

Official estimates put the number of marchers at around 12,000 persons. Several business organisations, such as the TT Manufacturers’ Association, the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association and the Employers’ Consultative Association, were represented.

Many prominent citizens were present, and thousands of ordinary citizens came to demonstrate their concern, as well as individuals who had been directly affected by the rising murder rate. Among the latter was Annette Rahael, aunt of murder victim Dr Eddie Koury.

But Health Minister John Rahael, also a relative of Koury, was not there. Nor were any PNM ministers or activists. The PNM hierarchy had taken a decision not to be present at the march, on the lame premise that the word "death" in the event’s title sent a wrong message. Does this mean that, if the march had been named something else, the PNM would have taken part?

We doubt it. The PNM had already made up its mind not to identify itself with the demonstration, and the party’s lackeys obeyed their master’s voice.

No doubt this decision would have troubled Mr Rahael, and other individuals within the Government and party, but all of them decided to abide by the decision. The message thus sent to the general public was that partisan politics comes before national concerns. The main worry of the PNM now is probably how Saturday’s massive show of support will affect voters since, according to Trade Minister Ken Valley, the primary motive for the Government to deal with crime is to ensure that it does not lose the next general election.

So propagandists have already begun trying to undermine Stephen Cadiz and the Keith Noel 136 Committee. Their main strategy has been to appeal to class bias, by focusing on the involvement of business persons in the Death March as hypocritical. The covert message is that all businesspeople are crooks — a theme that, for historical reasons bolstered by left-wing ideologues, has resonance. But the very size of the march gives the lie to such propaganda, while the involvement of business organisations in this grassroots type of event shows a new social conscience amongst the country’s elite classes.

Their success on Saturday, however, has now put a greater responsibility on the Keith Noel 136 Committee. They cannot now fold their tents and disappear into the night; and Mr Cadiz has, in fact, already made it clear that this is not going to happen. The Committee intends to wait and see what the Government does and, if nothing satisfactory occurs, resume its activity. But, as we pointed out in our editorial last Friday, the Committee cannot merely continue highlighting public concern about crime.

Instead, they must now build on the momentum generated by the march to propose workable short- and long-term strategies, as well as putting pressure on financiers and key individuals in Government to implement these strategies. Accomplishing this will require research and clever politics, and we hope that the example set by the Committee will further galvanise all concerned groups and organisations in the society.