THE decision of PNM General Secretary Foster Cummings to sue the State over a personal issue is a fight-back over his reduced role in the ruling party.
The legal action follows Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley’s watering down of Cummings’ authority ahead of party and general elections.
The Rowley-Cummings scenario was reported exclusively here three months ago.
As political leader of the PNM, Rowley decided to exert his own power, especially regarding candidates for party constituency executive elections.
Cummings controlled the process at the most recent polls two years ago, leading to executive officials with strong loyalty to him.
He is considered to be entrenched among constituency decision-makers.
As Minister of National Service and Youth Development, he further ingrained himself in some executives through certain State agencies.
Constituency executives have a strong hand in nominating and supporting general election candidates.
They serve as an important power block.
Executives with allegiance to Cummings could see the general secretary bolstering his sway in the PNM.
Cummings is known to be interested in becoming the successor to 75-year-old Rowley as the PNM’s leader.
The minister is now flexing his political muscles through the extraordinary step of legal action against the State for allegedly leaking a 2019 Police Special Branch report.
This means he will come up against the Attorney General, a fellow Cabinet Minister.
It is virtually a case of himself against himself, according to political experts.
Political insiders say the litigation is centred on politics as much as law.
They say that Cummings fancies his chances of becoming the next leader of the PNM and feels he will not hurt himself through the unprecedented legal action.
Legally, he is represented by heavyweight attorney Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.
Rowley reportedly favours Stuart Young, his so-called “Gary Sobers,” as his successor and has been providing opportunities for him in the public glare.
Faris Al Rawi had expressed early interest but is currently under pressure to return as the general election candidate for San Fernando West.
There is a strong insurgency from Agriculture Minister Kazim Hosein, a well-known San Fernandian.
Cummings’ legal action has startled the nation and captured headlines and could deepen his retaliation against the PNM’s status quo.
The PNM does not have a culture of open political warfare, but a simmering conflict could soon become more intense.
Cummings, 51, is also the Member of Parliament for La Horquetta-Talparo.
On his internet website, he describes himself as supportive of “the development agenda of Trinidad.”
