Political turmoil
It's been a long time. And so much has happened.
First, the leader of the Opposition, Mr. Basdeo Panday, has been sentenced to two years' jail with hard labour for failing to declare the existence of a bank account. The $1.2 million in this bank account was confiscated and he was fined an additional sum of several thousand dollars (probably between fifty and seventy-five). Let us please bear in mind that testimony was heard before the court from reliable sources - Lawrence Duprey, who is a businessman of impeccable good character and who is in excellent standing in the country - that this money was not stolen or otherwise acquired via any questionable means. He in fact testified that he personally gave this money to Mr. Panday in order to assist in financing his children's education.
The man is seventy-three years old. He is a heart patient. If two years of hard labour does not kill him, nothing will. He has also been forced to resign his post as leader of the Opposition as a result of his conviction. Could this by any chance be a political ploy on the part of the ruling party (the PNM) to destroy the country's only viable opposing party (the UNC) and create a de facto dictatorship? Because if there is only one party to vote for, only one party can be elected. Mr. Panday is currently appealing his conviction. We shall see how it goes.
But the government's tricks are not limited to the legislative arena. The judiciary is now under attack as well. A certain magistrate has insinuated to our Honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Patrick Manning, that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court attempted to interfere in the integrity trial of Mr. Panday and force an acquittal of sorts. The Hon. Prime Minister has ordered Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma to resign or face charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The Hon. Chief Justice has refused to resign and has returned allegations of his own towards Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls, who is well-known for being, shall we say, unusual in conducting his court. It is doubtful whether the Hon. Prime Minister will investigate these allegations, for he has already initiated impeachment proceedings against the Hon. Chief Justice. If the impeachment is indeed carried out, it will be left to the Hon. Prime Minister to supply a suitable candidate for the new Chief Justice.
Is it that all the long-standing corruption in the machinery in the political/judicial arena has suddenly been exposed? Is the government attempting to purge the administrative section of the country of all the sleaze and impose a righteous moral code instead? Or could it not be coincidence? Is the PNM in fact attempting to pave the road to absolute power in the removal from office of persons who have been deemed possible obstacles to such power?
This is a most serious problem. Especially when one takes into consideration the fact that our Hon. Prime Minister once conjugated the Trinidadian verb "to tief" in a most disturbing fashion.
"I tief, you tief, all ah we tief..."
I believe this of all things should call his own morality into question.
I need to get out of this country. For my health.
First, the leader of the Opposition, Mr. Basdeo Panday, has been sentenced to two years' jail with hard labour for failing to declare the existence of a bank account. The $1.2 million in this bank account was confiscated and he was fined an additional sum of several thousand dollars (probably between fifty and seventy-five). Let us please bear in mind that testimony was heard before the court from reliable sources - Lawrence Duprey, who is a businessman of impeccable good character and who is in excellent standing in the country - that this money was not stolen or otherwise acquired via any questionable means. He in fact testified that he personally gave this money to Mr. Panday in order to assist in financing his children's education.
The man is seventy-three years old. He is a heart patient. If two years of hard labour does not kill him, nothing will. He has also been forced to resign his post as leader of the Opposition as a result of his conviction. Could this by any chance be a political ploy on the part of the ruling party (the PNM) to destroy the country's only viable opposing party (the UNC) and create a de facto dictatorship? Because if there is only one party to vote for, only one party can be elected. Mr. Panday is currently appealing his conviction. We shall see how it goes.
But the government's tricks are not limited to the legislative arena. The judiciary is now under attack as well. A certain magistrate has insinuated to our Honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Patrick Manning, that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court attempted to interfere in the integrity trial of Mr. Panday and force an acquittal of sorts. The Hon. Prime Minister has ordered Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma to resign or face charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The Hon. Chief Justice has refused to resign and has returned allegations of his own towards Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls, who is well-known for being, shall we say, unusual in conducting his court. It is doubtful whether the Hon. Prime Minister will investigate these allegations, for he has already initiated impeachment proceedings against the Hon. Chief Justice. If the impeachment is indeed carried out, it will be left to the Hon. Prime Minister to supply a suitable candidate for the new Chief Justice.
Is it that all the long-standing corruption in the machinery in the political/judicial arena has suddenly been exposed? Is the government attempting to purge the administrative section of the country of all the sleaze and impose a righteous moral code instead? Or could it not be coincidence? Is the PNM in fact attempting to pave the road to absolute power in the removal from office of persons who have been deemed possible obstacles to such power?
This is a most serious problem. Especially when one takes into consideration the fact that our Hon. Prime Minister once conjugated the Trinidadian verb "to tief" in a most disturbing fashion.
"I tief, you tief, all ah we tief..."
I believe this of all things should call his own morality into question.
I need to get out of this country. For my health.
posted by Ariana at 2:54 PM
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