The internal rumblings of the two main political parties, the PNM and the UNC, provide a welcome opportunity for members of both parties and the public to consider the extent to which political parties are really democratic or not and what needs to be done to heal possible breaches.
The democratic nature and political integrity of a party in power or contending for power have serious implications for the manner in which it governs the country. All citizens therefore are entitled to show active interest in the internal processes of such parties.
It is quite instructive that the rumblings in each party were triggered over the vital element of internal elections – the bedrock of party democracy.
Inthe PNM, it is former minister of public utilities Robert Le Hunte, and former Public Services Association president and labour minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus who bravely questioned their party’s leadership decision to “cancel” the constitutionally-mandated 51st annual convention and internal elections. Le Hunte objected to any “small clique” manipulating the elections.
Why couldn’t PM and PNM political leader Dr Rowley be definite about his “departure,” too?
On the UNC side, pressing for “party democracy,” five articulate MPs – Rushton Paray, Dinesh Rambally, Rodney Charles, Anita Haynes-Alleyne and Dr Rai Ragbir – noisily rocked the UNC boat by publicly questioning political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the leadership over apparent “delays” in calling the party’s internal elections.
The UNC internal elections were eventually held, with revealing results. Paray, like Le Hunte, said his loyalty remains with the party: it's nothing personal.
[caption id="attachment_1122453" align="alignnone" width="683"] Former PNM minister Robert Le Hunte. -[/caption]
These internal rumblings attracted published descriptions such as “bacchanal,” “dictatorship,” “political confusion,” “power struggle,” etc. Not totally so. These are struggles, creative disruptions, to have the parties visibly align themselves with their respective constitutions, and, more fundamentally, with what a healthy democratic party should be.
Win or lose, the few who use legitimate means to shake up their party from becoming unduly fossilised or outdated may well be instruments for a higher purpose.
However, political parties are quite fragile to changing political seasons, entrenched ”massa-type” leadership and ambitious, personality competition. These pose pressing psychological and political challenges for the political leader to balance party discipline with destabilising incursions.
Ask Dr Rowley who proposed “one man, one vote.”
Le Hunte, a former banker and IDB executive director, challenged the surprising October 11 release from PNM general secretary Foster Cummings which said the convention “originally scheduled for November 17 has been cancelled.” Deputy political leader Camille Robinson-Regis, an attorney, explained that the decision had been subsequently ratified by the PNM General Council.
However, another long-time m
