TT could be worse off
Posted: Tuesday, January 24, 2006
TT Newsday Editorial
Fifty years ago, the People's National Movement was publicly launched at Woodford Square by Dr Eric Williams. Today, the present PNM, led by Patrick Manning, will be kicking off various activities to celebrate the party's half-century of existence. Celebrate, but not take stock. The party's spokespersons have already begun pushing pure propaganda since, whatever the achievements of the PNM, political maturity is not on the list. There is no little irony in this, given that political education was the major goal defined by Dr Williams in a speech titled "The Case of Party Politics in the Caribbean". In this address, Dr Williams said, "The very foundation of the party is that it must be dedicated to the satisfaction of the principal need of today — the political education of the people."
So can the population of Trinidad and Tobago claim to be politically educated today? The short answer is No. Citizens are not, and never have been, politically educated, in the sense of understanding their constitutional rights and standing up for them. In that same speech, Dr Williams also said: "After the political education of the people, the next most important prerequisite of a party, in our opinion, is honesty. The dishonesty and immorality of political life in Trinidad and Tobago are now a byword." Did the PNM change this? Not according to the most recent polls. Dr Williams's other major aims were national independence, industrial development, Westminster-type constitutionalism, ending racial discrimination, and disciplined party politics. This last he certainly achieved, as the anniversary today proves. Williams also achieved national independence within six years of becoming Chief Minister, although the benefits which were supposed to accompany that achievement — pride, prosperity, peace — did not automatically materialise.
Industrial development came during the oil boom between 1970 and 1980, when government revenues increased 20 times. In a 1974 speech, Dr Williams said, "We must not behave as if we have just had a windfall. We must use the additional revenue to accelerate the restructuring of our economy. We must have something concrete and tangible to show when the crisis is all over — a new petrochemical complex, the realisation of Point Lisas, one or more new planes, a substantial number of additional jobs in new spheres of economic activity."
The government used its extra revenues to take control of "the commanding heights of the economy," moving from shares in 35 companies with a book value of $82 million in 1972 to holding shares worth two billion dollars in 66 companies by 1983. Unfortunately, nearly all these State-owned companies were revenue-losers. And now, in 2006 with a natural gas boom sending government revenues through the roof, we see much the same scenario being replayed. Nor can the PNM escape the fact that its grassroots supporters are in relatively the same socioeconomic position now as they were in the 1950s.
Then there is the matter of the Westminster system. The PNM has lost office three times in its 50 years, and the transitions have always been peaceful. But the PNM did not create a system where Parliament reigns supreme; instead, Dr Williams returned us to a Crown Colony system, with all real power vested in the Prime Minister as it used to be in the Governor. As for race relations, the PNM leadership has never overtly sparked racial discord, save perhaps for Dr Williams' infamous "hostile and recalcitrant minority" remark, and this country has never had racial or religious violence. So, after 38 years of PNM rule, it is fair to say that Trinidad and Tobago could have been worse off. But it is also true to say that we have not achieved as much as we could have economically, politically, or socially. So, whatever the PNM can take praise or blame for, one thing is clear — this country must do better.
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