Reasoning not numbers

A Sylvester John in the Express of July 15,2009 wrote a letter entitled "Bias Abounds". Mr. Sylvester in his letter has indicated that the political commentators who criticised Independent Senators Gail Mehair and Michael Annisette are 'anti-PNM' because they criticised the two Independent Senators who voted for the Government but was mum on and did not criticise the other seven Independent Senators who voted against the Government and with the Opposition.

Appraising Mr. Sylvester's arguments I couldn't help but wonder if he was one of those stary eyed die hard PNM supporters who thought that Mr. Manning was raining words of wisdom upon him in Woodford Square on Monday night when he Mr. Manning, on his platform of political education expressed 'his' (leader of the PNM) support for the two Independent Senators who voted along with his Government. Mr. Manning indicated to his supporters to 'not to take on' the critics because they will tell you it is wrong for the two Independent Senators to vote with the Government, but it's ok for the other seven to vote with the Opposition.

Mr. Manning was being true to himself as a seasoned politician when he sought to put the vote concerning the suspension of Local Government Elections, in the context of numbers i.e. how much voted for and against, as opposed to putting it in the context of the 'reasoning and motive' behind the voting. Whether Mr. Manning's twist of things on his platform of political education is something beneficial to his ever seemingly gullible supporters is something to be discussed at another time. I just want to take the opportunity however to indicate that people like Mr. Sylvester should not buy cat in bag. The issue critics had with the two Independent Senators voting with the government is not simply the fact that they voted with the Government, but the reason why they voted with the Government.

Ms Gail Mehair in particular, during her contribution said that Government's proposal to postpone Local Government election is unconstitutional yet she voted with the Government because as she indicated it is not her duty to thwart Government's policy. It is this blatant contradiction of principles and logic that stirred the ire of Ms. Mehair's critics. If something is unconstitutional, especially something as postponement of any election for not one, but four consecutive years then this is an attack on democracy and it is an attack against the citizens of this country and it is the duty of any member be them Opposition or Independent Senator, to thwart any Government policy when that policy is an attack against the democractic rights of citizens.

So I say to people like Mr. John do not be fooled by your Prime Minister because unlike him, myself and many other citizens do not see things only in terms of 'numbers'. We listen to what our elected leaders have to say, and we also listen to the non-elected ones like Ms. Mehair and if what comes out of their mouth does not make sense as in this case, then we owe it to ourselves as citizens in a democratic country to hold them accountable and question them when their actions and explanations thereof defies basic commonsense and most of all when their actions run counter to the spirit of democracy and contrary to our constitution. Numbers do not justify any action of any Government, if that were to be the case then all history books should be re-written and Hilter should be made a great historical leader because he had the support of the majority of Germans while millions of jews were being murdered like chickens on a poultry farm. ©

When Silence Is Best

I have not heard any other Independent Senator trying to justify why they voted a particular way with regards the bill to postpone local government elections so why does Ms Mehair feel she has the need to explain, justify and prove her independence? Is it that for some reason unknown to the public her conscience is some how taunting her? Ms Mehair has declared and sought to 'prove' her independence by providing some of the most illogical explanations. For instance Ms. Mehair is quoted as saying "I do not condone what the government is doing. Remember that, I said it is undemocratic and unbearable and it brings about a certain amount of anger not only within myself but within the people of Trinidad and Tobago", yet she voted with the Government claiming her responsibility as an Independent Senator is not to thwart Government policy.

Well I have some pretty stupid questions for Ms. Mehair. If Government's policy is as you say, undemocratic and unbearable then is this not an attack against the people of this nation? And is it not your duty as an Independent Senator to use your senatorial vote to prevent this and uphold the sanctity of democracy? Or is it that in your opinion undemocratic and unbearable actions by a government against it's people is perfectly acceptable in a democracy? I fail to see the logic in your arguments honourable senator, as a matter of fact I do believe you have willfully vilified yourself. And with regard Ms. Mehair's outburst that she is a 'government senator', many have referred to this as a Freudian slip, however when I heard Ms. Mehair's outburst I was reminded of the old saying, "The things which proceed out of the mouth, come from the heart and those things defile a man". Perhaps Ms Mehair would have been better advised by her 'constitutional expert incognito' to simply vote and keep her mouth shut like her 'independent' colleague Mr. Annisette! There comes a time when silence is best because the change from the dollar makes the most noise! ©