Verdict on the UNC

THE SIGNIFICANT and not unexpected inroads made by the People's Nationl Movevment into regional councils traditionally held by the United National Congress in Monday's local government elections must send an unmistakable message to the UNC that the time has come for change. We had made it clear from early that this was the major issue in the elections, that the contest would essentially constitute a poll on the performance of the Opposition party and its leadership, that UNC supporters would use it to express their feelings on the state of the party, its policies and its future prospects under the present leadership.

The results of the elections could not have delivered a clearer verdict. The UNC suffered a humiliating defeat, with the PNM winning nine of the 14 councils, 80 of the 126 seats, and making historic inroads into areas long considered as UNC territory. Following its defeat in the General Elections last October, Monday's results must now force the UNC to undertake not only a change in its image and leadership but also in its disruptive, unproductive and bankrupt policies, unless, of course the party cares nothing for the expressed disenchantment of its supporters, its own self-respect and its role as a credible opposition force.

When the UNC lost the General Elections last year, the country expected that Mr Panday would gracefully step down as he had indicated. But in characteristic style, he changed his mind. Now he has led his party into the worst political defeat it has ever suffered, due in large measure to his own tired, predictable and inept performance, and it is now left to be seen whether or not this disaster will convince him that he has nothing more to offer the UNC and the country and quit, or whether or not the party has the courage and concern to remove him if he decides, inspite of everything, he "nah leaving." Instead of facing the critical implications of his party's defeat and his own role in it, Mr Panday reacts in typical fashion by expressing his surprise that the PNM did not win more seats given the extent of their corruption. Indeed, the energy and earnestness of Mr Panday and his UNC colleagues in now attempting to unearth corruption within the PNM government should strike many as something of a sick joke.

As far as we are concerned, the results of the elections give us cause for hope and optimism. It demonstrates to us that, to an increasing extent, the instinctive appeal to ethnicity, the tiresome and ill-founded charges of racial discrimination, the  politics of negativism, of opposition for its own sake, of seeking to frustrate for no good reason efforts at solving the serious problems of the country are being seen for what they are and are provoking the rejection they deserve even within the heartland support of the UNC. Our country can only benefit from the results of this election. While the PNM must be pleased with their historic victory, we expect the governing party will also appreciate the fact that it imposes on them the challenge of consolidating their new won support in Opposition areas and to ensure that they administer the affairs of the country in a transparently equitable fashion, in a way that will refute all long-standing suspicions. Their handling of the restructuring of Caroni, now off to a good start, should present a crucial opportunity. 

For the first time, it seems to us, the PNM has clearly crossed the country's political racial divide and we dare to express the hope that this crossing will lead to a greater understanding and appreciation on both sides and a greater measure of unity in our pluralistic society.