Thoughts on LGE 2013

Allyuh know PNM eh winning no General Election right?

Rowley could continue to fool himself into thinking the PP will win the election for him as much as he wants, but the reality is that many are pleased with the "box drains". Because for decades they suffered for the bare basics whilst the PNM spent hundreds of billions, so they not worried that it is still being raped today, once they get their drains and roads and jerseys too of course. And in a sense that is what governance is all about, so doh take on those who suddenly found a new mantra that that is what govts supposed to do anyways, yeh that's a fact, but finally a govt is in fact doing what they supposed to do. People usually bash me for taking about box drains, but we must be real.

The local govt win for the PNM is not any real achievement, it's a default win, Rowley knows it too. They did not win by any clear mandate either, preliminary results showed that the PNM actually lost votes compared to the 2010 results, which is very damning considering that soon after the 2010 general election, it was obvious that the PNM would not have done well.

Jack and his ILP will have to spend a lot of money to continue to rent the votes until 2015 in his attempt to pull PP votes, PNM people eh voting for ILP no matter what. Jack obviously counted on the ChagWest fever to take him into this local elections, but it seems many have taken medicine for that temporary ailment. The ILP is in for yet another rude awakening in St Joseph, where of course I predict a PNM win. But not because the ILP will split votes, and they will, but because that seat has been a marginal if you wish and was held by the PNM before 2010.

The COP many are saying is finally dead, I am not sure that the COP is in fact dead, I have always maintained that the COP is comprised of that small percentage of voters who don’t support either of the two major parties along with those persons who have been disenchanted with the UNC prior to 2007, but have since “gone back home” to the UNC. So the real COP is still alive but limping along as they embrace the old politics whilst they whisper into each other’s ear that this is new politics. The COP will remain as is, irrelevant but present.

I must however state that whilst the PP might still feel some bit of relief that they have not done as bad, they still have to seriously reconsider their politics and address allegations of corruption within the government for example. Because lets face it, the base of each party will remain with the party no matter what allegations are thrown up, but there is this percentage who are looking for a government that is serious about addressing corruption.

I believe that we are right back where we started a few months leading up to May 2010, where the PNM will be the government by default once again (yeh I know I said they not winning, by default could never be winning in my book). My only hope however, is that they have learnt from the errors of the past and make radical changes within the party, so as to be able to reign in any rogue leader and ensure a repeat of Manning’s leadership never happens. This I think may very well be the biggest challenge for Dr. Rowley considering the zero support he got as he tried to address corruption under the then PNM government.

Interesting couple of years ahead indeed.