Consistent Inconsistencies... (Asking Questions COP)

COP elections commission chairman Valance Rambharath should be made to step down for his failure to enforce the rules that he and his committee have put in place for these purposes and the elections themselves postponed until proper procedures can be put in place to monitor abuses and the eligible voters list perfected and audited.

Glaring abuses of the rules have gone unpunished and it would appear that the membership are about to be robbed of their franchise that some say has happened before. Apparently this would not be the first time that an internal election in the Congress of the People mamaguys those it claims to represent and very serious questions need to be asked of the systems that are in place to guard against such abuses.

Quoting from the Trinidad Express; "THE Diego Martin office of the Congress of the People (COP) was on Wednesday searched by its election officers, who had been informed that membership cards were being issued illegally from that location.The party's election machinery is now on "high alert", chairman of the COP Elections Committee, Vallance Rambarat, has said."

As no one in the Congress of the People has any clue what that term high alert means we can only assume that it is more hot air and nothing will come of it. That it occurred in the Diego Martin office is very instructive and begs many questions, not the least being Nicole Dyer Griffith, who couldn't seem to get a job in Kamla's government taking out the trash prior endorses Anil and suddenly gets a Senate seat and a made up Ministerial appointment. Was this 'arranged?'

Don't get me wrong, I am on record on numerous occasions calling for Ms. Dyer Griffith to be appointed to the communication arm of the government as she was more than qualified, but the question here is one of suspect timing and I believe that questions need to be asked as to whose agenda does this COP leadership election really serve.

Reports have been made that the Anil Roberts camp has used broadcast media for advertising and no action has been taken despite this being against the stated campaign rules and guidelines and are grounds for disqualification; why is no action being taken and why are no questions being asked of those who are supposed to be enforcing these rules?

Campaign teams are advised of a twenty five thousand dollar spend limit for advertising yet nothing is put in place to monitor and verify that this limit has not been exceeded.

Prakash Ramadhar makes a dubious endorsement claim, and despite the slew of 'Official' releases distancing Party officials, organizations within the COP and current leadership from the claim, Mr. Ramadhar is not even publicly cautioned.

NACTA is touting polls in the media on possible results that can only be fraudulent unless NACTA was provided with the current eligible voter list to poll, yet no one in charge of these elections are saying whether the poll itself is a croc or if they (NACTA) were indeed provided with copies of the voter list despite that being against the stated rules of the elections committee. 

Candidates are made to appear at nine sponsored and organized debates but nothing is put in place to ensure that candidates answer the questions put to them, begging the question as to what is the point of the exercise?

It is my personal view that these elections are about to be shanghaied by some powerful interests and the entire campaign may itself be a distraction and a ruse. The membership of the Congress of the People need to be made aware of these developments as in the end they are the final arbiters and can call for better representation than currently obtains. On the ground distractions and spin is being used for shock and awe, and distraction, misdirection and outright deception are being used to secure control of the last remaining vestige of true democracy in this country, the Congress of the People.

I call on the members of the Congress of the People to reject these abuses outright and to come to the Chaguanas debate this afternoon and make their voices heard. They who would conspire to deceive should be given no quarter as there is no coming back from this should the UNC succeed in placing their 'man' at the helm. That they (the UNC) appear to be backing two horses in our four horse race is telling of the lengths they are prepared to go to get control of this prized political jewel and we the membership need to defend the Party with everything we have.

I also call on the outgoing Political Leader Mr. Winston Dookeran to make his own voice heard on the matter of his political succession before he is consigned to political irrelevance. I understand that moves were afoot to have him removed as Minister of Finance in the last Cabinet reshuffle, a move that was allegedly stayed due to the upcoming leadership election and the possible membership backlash.

Sir, with all due respect you have one real play left, and if you want your legacy to be that of founder of the Party of the future, the organization that saves our country from the tyranny of the greedy you must speak out at this time as time is upon us. The members are being fooled by an elaborate machinery constructed to deceive them and you may be the only person able to provide a clear voice of direction at this time. 

There can be no better way than by endorsing who you deem your rightful successor and the person YOU think would be best to lead the Party into what you have referred to as the Promise Land, a land where all Trinidadians can live as one, where government is for all the people all the time and where decency and integrity abounds.

Now is not the time to linger or doubt, now is the time for men of character to stand against the forces that are bent on our Party's inevitable marginalization and destruction. Be guided by those who have stood fast in times of moral and crisis and carved their names into history. Now is the time for the entire Party to stand firm and stand as one, to reject the advances of those whose agenda are not in the best interest of the Party and to elect into leadership a champion who has the time and the ability to lead us all to a greater victory.

Never forget that all that is required for evil to prosper is that good men do nothing.

Something to think about...