Wanted Urgently - Opposition Party. Must exist in this Dimension...

Hello?

Is anyone in Balisier House?

Where is the formal Opposition as prescribed and provided for by our Constitution?

Are the interests of the people being properly served by this hobbled and limping version of the PNM?

Ever since the (almost) campaign for Local Government elections, the Opposition has been practically invisible and I had to ask on Friday August 13th if the Opposition was in fact operating in stealth mode.

http://plainlytalking.blogspot.com/2010/08/opposition-in-stealth-mode.html

The continuing silence has been deafening save for rumors of plots and counter plots within the Party, and an almost non existent response on anything to do with THAT matter from the Party.

I have spoken with senior Party financiers who confess things are not good within the house that Eric built, and until they themselves (MP"s) decide who is their leader, no amount of money or support is going to take them anywhere, rumors of Erica's return to lead the Party notwithstanding. MP's (who insist on anonymity) have distanced themselves from Manning's alleged challenge for power but concede that there is something like a split in the Party.

My question is, who is really in charge?

Who has the moral authority within the People's National Movement to pull the sides together and get them to work towards serving the people's interests?

It would seem that Patrick Manning still weilds significant power within the Party despite his silence, and some say is actively agitating for Dr. Rowley's political demise.

To what end?

Even if he were to pull off that particular stunt and 'get' himself anointed again as Leader, short of a complete and total meltdown of the UNC there does not appear to be a way for a Manning led PNM to hold the reins of power in this country ever again. 

Were that abdication of all laws of reason to occur I suspect there would be bloodshed and riots in the street, and even he (Patrick Manning) must know that.

Surely Colm Imbert knows that.

Outside of his remaining defenders, Patrick Manning is despised nationally for the wanton destruction to our economy during his term in Office. The effects of runaway violent crime has not been fully analyzed, but the mood of the people is one of total frustration. The then Minister of Finance committed a brazen crime and is relying on our weak system of justice to remain unfettered and free. Members of the Party enriched themselves beyond measure in what others have termed a complete 'Kleptocracy,' and these dinosaurs from the failed Manning Administration are fooling themselves and misleading their supporters that they are capable of getting anything like a Parliamentary Majority ever again.

As long as Patos and his Merrymen remain on board the PNM is going nowhere fast, and should the Party's supporters fail to see and act on this, their last act of total loyalty would be to follow their leaders down the proverbial drain.

I have said it before and I say it again, Dr. Rowley needs to rid the Party of Manning and Imbert if he is serious about Prime Ministerial ambitions. As it stands he is fading fast, and what is left of his political capital is being spent defending his own credibility as these men pull him and the Party down further.

Didn't he see the moment the UNC jettisoned Bas and crew how quickly they achieved moral authority, questions of competence and suspicions of Warner aside? 

If politics is anything it is a beauty pageant, and if so then general elections is the ultimate beauty contest.

Right now the PNM not looking all that hot and has some serious work to do if it hopes to compete under the bright lights anytime soon.