Why We Need the COP

To all who consider themselves politically astute, there is an understanding that the political landscape in Trinidad is built on 'who you are for' and 'who you are against.' This division is so real that most dismiss the concept of a third Party without even stopping to discuss why.

Thinking people know otherwise.

Truly astute political observers, commentators and activists know that throughout history, a strong third force ALWAYS brings out everyone's 'A' game simply because in a game of one out of two, nobody wants to be left number three when the bell rings. Devil takes the hindmost makes the race run better.

It is clear to all that the days of 'Party for life' are over, ushered out with the Panday and Williams (and Manning and Robinson to a lesser degree) era. Charismatic leadership has been replaced by public involvement and discussion, with the socially networked generation (in whose hands ALL political aspirations now lie), follow political debate like sport and defend their sides in a digital world like gladiators; To this new breed, it is almost as if the campaign never ends.

The most glaring example of this is the speed with which the current Administration's lack of substance to back campaign promises has translated Kamlamania to demonstration and public unrest in quick time despite the Party's reliance on the 'spin it to win it' doctrines of yesteryear.

Truth and reality has caught this Government in lie after lie, and the Prime Minister is now world famous for her constant apologizing.

The mood in the country is quite dark at this time, yet the break in trust with the UNC is not translating to the still floundering and embattled (internally at least) PNM. No one is heading back there in droves, at least not yet.

This is where the third force comes in.

The Congress of the People represents hope to many as a landing point and a place from which to distance themselves from the other two Parties. Racially acceptable to most, the Party builds a transient snapshot of cosmopolitan Trinidad & Tobago better than any Party ever did, and the trick to the Leadership is how to translate the stop-over to a stay.

If I were to offer advice (unsolicited of course), the first of three important steps would be to launch a massive campaign throughout the land welcoming all comers to the Party; Every constituency should have an operational Party center, vibrant with community activities and fund raisers to keep the operation running and to keep the people involved.

This center could and should replace the community center of old, and people should be encouraged to stop by for coffee after work.

I also recommend the production of a document called the Congress of the People - Vision, Principles, and Mission Handbook to be given away freely.

In this document I would clearly enunciate a 'Country First', 'Centrist' position on all matters of national importance, open to all races, tribes and religions, focused on important issues like integrity in Office, rights of persons, equality for all and equitable sharing of the national pie.

In other words I would give the people something to want to belong to.

Finally, I would create a Party spokesgroup comprising members outside of the Cabinet crew who can speak to issues affecting the Party in quick time, who would be regulars on the media circuit and would engage the membership in regular cottage meetings to keep everyone on an election foot for when the need arises.

Because we remain separate Parties in a coalition, there should be nothing to prevent us from continuing to develop as a Party both from without and within the coalition.

And because the two Parties that claim the electoral space (UNC/PNM) do not represent ALL the people of the country, the country needs the COP.

But not this limping  version of the COP. 

Working together in harmony for the common good is one thing, turning a blind eye to abuses, lies and broken promises is something else entirely.

With script lifted straight out of Orwell's Animal Farm, the Political Leader of the Party has been sidelined, marginalized, publicly disgraced by at least two senior Cabinet Ministers (Warner and McLeod) and is being isolated and blamed for Cabinet decided austerity and recovery measures with no one standing in his defense.

Am I the only one who sees that all of this is intended to leech his accumulated political capital?

The Congress of the People MUST step up and claim its own space if it is to survive the coming People's Partnership backlash with any viability and national appeal.

It cannot be seen as the low calorie 'UNC light' version it is being played out as and this should be rebuked with vigor.

There will never be a better time for the Party to grow into a national Party, and the leadership would be guilty of squandering the country's best chance at a truly National 'ALL inclusive' Political Party if they miss this moment in history for petty personal agendas.

For all the best reasons that I could think of, Trinidad & Tobago needs the COP now.

The challenge is to get the COP to understand what exactly that means.