UNC MUST MAKE PEACE

TRINIDAD and Tobago simply cannot survive another five-year People’s National Movement (PNM) term of office.

With surging crime, economic decline and absence of diversification, poverty and high cost of living, crumbling health and education sectors, and the widening gap between rich and poor, T&T would return to dark colonial times.

Independent institutions would be decimated and there would be wild misspending and bobol with precious taxpayer dollars, and breakdown of roads and bridges.

The only viable alternative is the United National Congress (UNC), the 35-year-old organisation born out of working-class struggles with a stated commitment to prosperity for all, ethnic unity and a competitive, modern society.

The UNC’s tenures in national office gave life to those obligations.

But the party is at serious risk of frittering away its electoral chances through its highly-publicised civil conflict.

With the PNM Government tossing millions of dollars into projects in marginal constituencies, the UNC already faces a rigorous general election challenge. 

Against that scenario, there should be an immediate “ceasefire” and mediation to reconcile the contending parties.

Everyone involved in the verbal combat must show good faith.

A respected national personality – or a small group of eminent people – should be enlisted to conciliate through frank and purposeful discourse.

That is the most assured path toward the UNC being at its fullest potential to torpedo the failed and aimless PNM Government.

All outbursts, including divisive and venomous social media comments, should be brought to an immediate end.

Disruptive junior players in the political circuit must be instructed to cease their rash and acrimonious statements against party colleagues.

They must be reminded that the inept PNM regime is their real political foe.

Further, Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar should make a public declaration on the scheduling of the National Executive (NATEX) election.

All contestants must publicly pledge to abide by the result of that poll and to work steadfastly in the common cause of making the UNC a most vibrant electoral machine.

Parliamentarians must operate with solidarity and aggression to confront the PNM Administration and unmask its sponsored corruption and systemic mal-governance.

Meaningful discussions should be undertaken with like-minded political opponents of the PNM with the focused aim of creating a viable alliance of the competent and committed.

All participants should be advised to bring sincerity of intent to the dialogue.

This thrust should all be a frontline priority for the UNC, with firm and appropriate timelines.

There is limited time for resolving the dead-end conflict and engendering a coalition of trust, expertise and diligence.

With Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley playing coy with the election, an early date could be announced in an attempt to find the UNC flat-footed.

There, therefore, must be immediate steps to introduce this plan of action, and UNC’s members must be appropriately informed of the scheduled programme of activities.

The UNC and its supporters must be conscious that inability to bury the hatchet and work in the common cause could lead to the bungling Rowley becoming a three-term Prime Minister.

That would mean more brutal murders, extortions, assaults, shutdown of businesses, joblessness, soaring cost of food, downfall of independent bodies, and a generally wrecked Trinidad and Tobago.

This generation of patriots will never be forgiven for permitting such an atrocity to befall our nation.

Such a state of affairs is too wrenching to countenance, especially for our ambitious youths, who deserve capable and inspiring national leadership.

Everyone in the intra-party conflict should carefully weigh what is at stake and implement a practical roadmap to bring peace to the UNC – and hope to the nation.

Trinidad and Tobago’s future is at stake.

In the immortal words of John Lennon, all we are saying is give peace a chance.