Khan must step down

The question of ethics does not arise because Mr Khan is still an innocent man, and will retain that status unless the courts find otherwise. But legal principles and political realities are not the same creature. The very fact that charges have been laid against Mr Khan has political consequences which are irrelevant to his guilt or innocence.

The truth of this is shown by the fact that his staying on as party chairman after he resigned as Works Minister did not raise eyebrows until he was actually charged. In a report in yesterday’s Newsday by political editor Ria Taitt, a PNM official asked, "Why should he feel it incumbent to leave the Cabinet on the basis of allegations and not see that it is inappropriate to continue as chairman?"

But this same question could have been raised eight months ago when Mr Khan stepped down as Works Minister. But it wasn’t. It is only an issue now because criminal charges have a different political weight to allegations although, by strict legal principle, both have similar status in respect to the individual’s innocence. This is why the question of principle didn’t concern PNM officials back in May. Although touted as a matter of principle, Mr Khan’s resignation as a Minister was actually a political manoeuvre.

"When I offered myself for public service it was always with the intention of upholding the highest tenets of integrity and public office," Mr Khan declared then. He added that "in keeping with the noblest traditions of the party to which I belong", he had given his resignation to Prime Minister Patrick Manning. Since he did not also resign as chairman, one would have to conclude that, in Khan’s mind, the PNM’s "noblest traditions" do not exclude having a chairman with corruption allegations hanging over his head.

But since Mr Khan did not adhere to the very principle he was espousing, there must have been a political reason for him stepping down. And we do not have to look too far to discover what that reason was. His own words demonstrate that he wanted to portray himself as a person of integrity - a useful image for a person who expects corruption charges to be brought against him. And this is also why he didn’t step down as party chairman, since that would have brought no political benefit to him.

Now that he has been charged and the PNM’s annual convention will be held this weekend, however, different political questions arise. The convention means that Mr Khan will be front and centre as the party’s representative and, since the PNM has never been able to shake the taint of corruption acquired under Dr Eric Williams’s tenure, Mr Khan’s presence will surely serve to raise those old ghosts. On the other hand, if Mr Khan resigns as chairman, it will be seen as an admission that he is spoiled goods, and those same ghosts will stir.

So the PNM is between a rock and a hard place. The party’s leadership cannot even try to wrest advantage out of this situation - they can only calculate which option will do the least political damage. In our view, given the public’s exasperation with politicians’ shenanigans, the political option is the same as the principled one — Mr Khan must step down.