Desperately Seeking Relevance... (Exuberance, COP Style)

'Ebullience' is defined in some places as 'Zestful Enthusiasm,' in others as 'high spirits' and in others still as being 'cheerful and full of energy.' If recent media reports are to be believed it would seem that Jack Warner's unprecedented move to resign from everything and seek a 'fresh mandate' from his constituents is having an 'ebullient' impact on the former politically dead, especially if the announcements coming from certain camps over the weekend is any evidence to go by.

Case in point -  political leader of the Congress of the People Prakash Ramadhar said to the media with a straight face at the press conference after his party's national executive meeting that the COP 'was not afraid of anybody, could contest any seat it wanted, and was 'eyeing' Chaguanas West.' Now, I don't know if they were chasing their white rum with 'mannish water' at that meeting or if Prakash deliberately set out to make a joke, but since it was said  everyone who has heard it are either laughing hard or out loud, with many asking if Tommy Joseph is on the COP National Executive or if Prakash is trying out for a career in comedy. In other words, no one takes him or the party he leads seriously anymore, not after the deceit of 'Marlene-Gate' where he traded feigned umbrage for positions for COP members, not after his defense then turn around on the appointment of Reshmi Ramnarine, not after his stony silence over the still unanswered state of emergency and most definitely not after his being named as a prime player in what has become known as the Section 34 fiasco and his lack of answers as to his role in that matter since. His waffling over the soldier police Bill and his recent flip-flopping on his call for the removal of Jack Warner while refusing to support a motion raised in the Parliament that said exactly that are all considered classic Prakash-isms, and outside his ever shrinking sphere of influence he (Prakash) is either considered a political joke or a washout depending on who you talk to. His new found exuberance may be built on a world without Warner, but if he believes for a second that that means the Prime Minister now has more need of him than ever he must really take her for a fool. In a world decided by political capital neither Prakash nor the COP has any, and if you can say one thing about Kamla Persad-Bissessar, she understands this.

Let's look at reality for a bit; of all the Congress of the People Members of Parliament, not one has a sure shot at retaining their seat with Carolyn Seepersad Bachan being the only hope of the lot. Ramadhar himself knows that all that bluster wont serve him if the UNC decides to 'take back' that safe St. Augustine seat and contest it because then he (Prakash) will surely lose. For all the talk he is giving Warner the reality is true that while Jack served his constituents, Prakash barely visited his, and even if he were to start today it would be of no effect as the party that many voted for as a symbol of hope is now believed to be a con by which recycled has beens and some questionable individuals such as Bhoe Tewarie and Ganga Singh could find themselves back on the national political stage. But back on point, were it not for the heavy handed spite of former Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his refusal to allow Pennelope Beckles to contest either of the two eastern seats that screened and approved her we may never have heard of Anil Roberts, Lincoln Douglas or Rodger Samuel as members of Parliament, because were it not for a decided PNM voter campaign to 'push back' at Manning, those seats would have gone to the PNM as they will in any election called now or in the future. Penny's back, and the people of Arima are waiting with a joyful noise to have her back among them. So then, what of the architect of 'New Politics?' The man most credited with deceiving the nation with this People's Partnership nonsense? What will the people hold in store for the former political leader of the COP who promised to be the people's 'watchdog' in Parliament? The smart money's on a routing and a disgracing but then surely Winston Dookeran has to be savvy enough to know that he deserves that, right? You would think so, but then there is talk of a plan within the COP to give the PM an ultimatum now that she's against the ropes so to speak, that she either increases the stocks of the Congress of the People within the partnership or they will collectively walk. Perhaps Ramadhar needs to be reminded of what happened to his colleague Anil Roberts, the last COP member to find his 'marbles' as it were and threaten the Prime Minister with a resignation. Rumor has it that he had to go back begging to keep his job with tears in his eyes, and that his marbles are now on her desk in a jar.