From Struggle to Discipline - Basdeo Panday's UNC

Indeed, the UNC, a party once considered by many across all politically divided borders, as the party of inclusion, of equity, of accountability and transparency, has lost its way.
Why! Why has this party lost its way, its once planted feet? For after getting into office with the assistance of the NAR in 2005, the UNC has been able to demonstrate its effectiveness in government and ensure that they were returned to government in 2000, this time on their own and with increased support. Soon
 however, the UNC under the leadership of Panday, who has brought this party out of the trenches of "struggle" squandered any opportunity and shut the door indefinitely on ever being elected into government. After falling out with then Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and the subsequent resignation of Ralph Maraj and Trevor Sudama who would go on to vote against the UNC government, Panday was forced to ask the President to dissolve Parliament. This time around losing the election to the PNM after an 18/18 result that saw Manning and Panday meeting at Crown Plaza and agreeing to have the President decide on appointing the next government.

Those who have crossed panday have said that "he mashes up everything he cannot control". I am beginning to accept this, especially when I consider the platform rhetoric of this "political Guru". Disenchantment with Panday spans decades and involves many who have been confined to the proverbial "political grave yard". Panday’s new mantra is to "protect the party, your party". To "protect the party which you built with your blood sweat and tears, the party you gave birth to, the party you laboured for and watch as it grew up". To protect the party from "international con-men and others" who wants to hijack the party. Allow me to add here also, to protect the party from "Nimakarams, maha-nimakarams, drunks and monkeys". "this is war to save our party, this election is not about me, this election is about you and your children and whether your party which has been there for 20 years defending you, will be mashed up" Basdeo Panday. Those are the ranting of a mad man or rather of a man intoxicated with the venom of hate or of some other intoxicating spirits.

But who are all these "Panday baptized" people? I would think they include those who have been with Panday in the trenches, who have struggled with him, who have financed the party, who have contributed to the propping up of a failing (failed) party. They would include those who have a vision of being in government. But Panday would in effect be confining the UNC to being a party of a blindly loyal few and a party increasingly losing support. Today, Panday wants to recreate his party, he wants to first create a "disciplined" party then take it into government. I question this discipline, is it the discipline of "not a damn dog bark" (characteristic of the PNM) where everyone is devoted to their "Guru" and the cause, as determined by the Autocratic leader. Isn’t it strange that this man continues to, as he claims, to be such a bad judge of character.

Time has left Panday way behind, his "blood, sweat and tears struggle" has served its purpose. Maybe his so many years of struggle has caused him permanent psychological damage that he cannot seem to grasp that his struggle has in fact yielded fruit and that the battle must now be to genuinely unit more people committed to the country. The January 24th UNC’s internal election is carefully being watched by all, the interest in this election has been tremendous. The outcome of this election is viewed, somewhat, as the beginning of the future as it relates to leadership. Many are hoping for the result to provide a way to unite those oppose to the PNM (genuine unity). Many have expressed that Kamla is the person to lead this uniting of the forces as it were. Whatever the outcome, the next few months would see the UNC transform in a way that would either decimate its chances of getting into government or propel it into the machinery that would bring all those who are fed up of the neglect and squandermania of the present PNM regime. As the curtain falls, preparations on challenging the results would be well advanced. I am not convinced that this election would simply or magically cure any of our problems, but I am confident that it is a very good start, alas our people are becoming mature in the politics and have dismissed the notion that politics has a morality of its own.