All Presidents not equal

The notion that all men are equal does not apply to former Presidents of Trinidad and Tobago. At least one President is more equal than the others whom he succeeded. Former President ANR Robinson is the most favoured.  For starters he is the beneficiary of a Salaries Review Commission salary increase that made his pension $33,000 per month tax free for life.  President Max Richards will get the same when he retires. Mr Robinson has enjoyed the waiver by Cabinet of all the taxes on the purchase of two luxury cars — a million dollar BMW and a Toyota with a sale price of $200,000. But while Robinson enjoys these and more benefits his immediate predecessor, former President Noor Hassanali cannot even get Cabinet to waive the taxes on an ordinary car which he needs or has by now purchased paying all duties and taxes himself.

Robinson’s package which he negotiated for himself is sweet indeed. The Manning Cabinet agreed that the State pays for a driver, security guard, a secretary, nurses for himself and his wife, Patricia who suffers with Alzheimer’s. It is also rumoured that the package also includes a valet to attend to Mr. Robinson’s personal needs. No security is provided for Sir Ellis Clarke, the first President and before that Governor General and author of the country’s Constitution. President Noor Hassanali and Mrs. Hassanali pay for their own security.  They also pay their driver and the two former Heads of State do not come close to the privileges enjoyed by Robinson. Is this fair? Friends of the Hassanalis  say they frequently use taxis or rented vehicles, and consider this unacceptable for a former Head of State.

Robinson is very active socially and is regularly seen at social functions —  a bodyguard always in attendance.  In fact not so long ago while he was attending a private dinner party at a house in St Augustine, his guard who was standing outside the house near the car was shot and killed. President Hassanali is never seen at public functions these days and rumours are that he is ill. In fact he has reportedly decided not to attend any official functions because of the Government’s attitute towards former heads of State moreso persons such as Sir Ellis Clarke and himself who have given so many years of service to the State. A quiet, reserved gentleman, Hassanali will not speak to the media on these matters. Neither will Mrs Hassanali, but friends and associates are said to be appalled at the different standards that are being applied.

“Of course” a  well placed political source told Sunday Newsday, “the PNM Cabinet led by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, owes Mr Robinson big”. It was a reference to Robinson’s decision in 2000 to select Manning as Prime Minister over UNC’s Basdeo Panday in the wake of the 18-18 tie in the General Election of that year. Many consider that it was a case of payback time for Robinson who after his retirement as President in 2003 wrote to Cabinet with a list of requests including that he be provided with security, driver, secretary, nurses and waiver on the taxes in the purchase of two luxury cars. Cabinet made these special concessions for Robinson alone.  The conditions were not extended to Hassanali and Clarke. In March 1997 when Hassanali retired, Cabinet agreed to waiver taxes on a car he bought for his private use.

Eight years later according to a White Hall source, the Hassanalis wrote to Patrick Manning requesting the tax waiver on the purchase of a new car. Mr Manning reportedly did not reply, but it is believed that the request was denied.  The matter has come up again and again and is now said to be “before Cabinet”, a stock phrase and another way of saying that it remains tied up in bureaucracy and nothing will come of it. Yet while Cabinet takes time to consider a request from a former Head of State, ordinary government employees who are travelling officers buy their vehicles tax free. What’s wrong with this picture? The answer is simple.  Hassanali is not Robinson.  Sir Ellis Clarke was given security for one year after he left office in 1987. In fact although he lives today in a gated community the car in which he was travelling was held up sometime ago and stolen, and his driver was tied up in the security hut. Luckily Sir Ellis was not hurt.

Indeed all three former Presidents have been victims of violence. When the Hassanalis were in office, a car in which Mrs Hassanali was driving was shot at around the Savannah not far from President’s House. She was not injured.  When he was Prime Minister, Robinson was held hostage at gunpoint in the Red House during the 1990 attempted coup. He was shot in the leg and beaten, by members of the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen. Security for our former heads of state should be a matter of major concern particularly in these times of criminal activity and the three former Presidents should be equally treated. Hassanali probably gets the worst treatment because he is deemed an NAR President having been elected when the NAR came to power in 1987.  In 1995 Hassanali was again in the spotlight. Manning, Prime Minister since 1991 called an early general election. PNM won 17 seats. 

The UNC won 17 seats. The NAR of Tobago led by Robinson won two seats historically swinging the balance of power in his hands. Everyone, including President Hassanali waited to see what Robinson would do, whether he would align himself with Manning or Panday. In the end, Robinson chose Panday’s UNC and thus a coalition government was formed with Panday as Prime Minister, the first person of East Indian descent in the country to achieve the office. This alliance allowed Robinson to achieve his last ambition that of becoming President.  The alliance was not to last and inevitably Robinson and Panday clashed when Robinson refused to carry out several of Panday’s wishes, including appointing to the Senate defeated UNC candidates. Many believe that what became an on going battle between Robinson and Panday led to Robinson’s selection of Manning in 2000 when that general election ended in an 18-18 tie.

Manning owed his selection to Robinson and Robinson got all he wanted and more from a PNM Government. Hassanali seen as an NAR President has not been so favoured. Mr Hassanali and Sir Ellis Clarke are distinguished sons of the soil who have played major roles in our history and have given yeoman service. They deserve better respect than we give them, even when we may not have always agreed with their decisions. Sir Ellis was the brain behind the Independence Constitution and the change to Republicanism. He continues to serve the country, freely giving the benefit of his vast intellect and experience when called upon. After so many years of service, the State provided his security for one year and that was the end of it.  The Hassanalis served this country for ten years and served it well at a time when money was short and public service salaries were being cut.

It is well known that they saved the State considerable funds by not serving alcohol at President House functions. This was prompted by religious grounds but it saved taxpayers money. They grew their own vegetables and bred red tilapia fish in a big pond on the grounds.  All the flowers that adorned the residence were cultivated in their gardens.  When they moved there in 1987 the residence was in state of great disrepair.  They tried to maintain it but faced the usual government red tape.  Insiders say they may have spent their own money on some repairs, but this could not be confirmed. Even after demitting office, Mrs Hassanali continued the voluntary social work, virtually pressed into service by organisations  to perform duties that would  normally have fallen to the incumbent First Lady, but Mrs Robinson was ill and never able to function in that capacity.

Why the difference in the treatment of our former presidents? And what about the almost forgotten widow of the country’s first Governor - General Lady Thelma Hochoy? Does the State provide any support for her except a pension? A car and driver? Security?  Most importantly what about medical expenses for these very senior citizens. Should not the terms and conditions apply across the board and be based on principle and not on personality? The State should set down the terms and conditions for our Presidents when they leave office and it should apply to all. It is demeaning for former Presidents to have to beg for waiver of taxes on a car, or to be without security.

There is need for greater respect for the holders of the highest office in our land. We should recall with shame what happened when Sir Ellis left office in 1987 and was leaving for England. The Regiment planned a formal send-off outside the Residence or/at Piarco.  This was struck down by the power -that-be. It was left to the then President of the Senate, Mr Michael Williams (who was going to act in the interregnum) before Mr Hassanali was sworn in to display the common courtesy of going to Piarco to see the retiring President off. No other top official bothered.