The Balisier Conundrum...

"We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind; 'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance Well they're no friends of mine..."

- Men Without Hats

Nobody walks to San Fernando as a means by itself, nobody; it is always a means to an end. Like the saying no one buys a drill because they want a drill, one buys a drill because one wants a hole, we as a nation need to ask the question, 'What exactly is Patrick Manning digging here?"

Confucius said "If you devote your life to seeking revenge, first dig two graves," and this appears to be the precise lesson lost on Patrick Manning and his followers. Despite protestations to the contrary, he and his die hard followers seem bent on challenging Dr. Keith Rowley for power in the Party and it could only be driven by revenge. Manning and his supporters must be aware that Manning couldn't win a national election, so why waste the time?

The morning after the 'hug felt around the world' on San Fernando hill I asked why now? What could be the purpose of this other than to raise Manning's political stocks and why was Rowley so foolishly playing along?

At every step of the way I have asked who advises the Leader of the Opposition in his capacity as Political Leader of the PNM and all I get are hollow sounding one liners from gangster movies. This isn't a movie, the stakes here are real for many people and these political actors may yet cost us all tremendously.

Back on point, Dr. Keith Rowley needs to declare war on Patrick Manning or cede his position and leave; there is no middle ground here and if the burdens of leadership are too much for him to bear let him publicly say so and demit Office. The Opposition is vital to our governance as a counter balance but also as a government in waiting. How can this obviously split organization present itself as a cohesive option should the bell for elections (God forbid) be rung?

The Manningites that have shown their hand need to be purged from the Party. Yes it will be uncomfortable for a while, but the only power political back benchers have for mischief is to vote against the whip and in these instants the Government does not need their help. Keith Rowley is in an unenviable position but he must have known that from the moment he mounted his first challenge for leadership in the first place. He had to have known that the pendulum swing was going to be messy as he and almost everyone else who made up the current 'post NAR' PNM were hand picked by Manning himself. He must have known that there was going to be a necessary purge of the ranks if he was ever going to really hold the reins of power, yet his reluctance to bite the bullet may well see him cut down despite all the warnings that we could give.

I watched Rowley supporters turn in disgust after the convention, realizing that not only did he not possess the where with all for court martials and dry docking, he was either lazy or trying to be expedient by working with the pro-Manning structure even as Manning was testing the political waters all around him to come back and cut his throat. I mean really, a third grader could have seen this coming. Now, after a nothing event on the PM's house to put himself back in play Manning commands the media and the high ground leaving Rowley once again to appear as reactionary from within.

Does he not see this?

The country desperately needs a strong Opposition to keep this government in check and this current crop appears to not be it. Regardless of if he seizes power within the PNM or not, Patrick Manning is too widely despised to ever hold national power again. Dr. Rowley is doing himself, the PNM and the nation a disservice by failing to do his sworn duty, and right now that requires politically executing Patrick Manning.

There is nothing left to discuss now that gauntlets are down and lines are drawn. Dr. Keith Rowley history is watching, destiny is waiting, do your job.

"We can go when we want to, the night is young and so am I. And we can dress real neat from our hats to our feet and surprise 'em with the victory cry..."
- The Safety Dance