Who is popular today?

THE EDITOR: Sixteen years ago, the late attorney Dana Seetahal in a commentary, in another paper, wrote that “one thing I have always admired about Keith Rowley is that he is not afraid to call a spade a spade and he is consistent in his statements.” Rowley’s persona, as prime minister, has not changed and this may account for him keeping the ship of state afloat during the past year amidst the turbulence of the covid19 pandemic.
The first year of his second term most certainly was a challenging one. Negative vibes were thrown at him from all sides including an Opposition that was tripping over itself to create confusion while the virus was at its peak and vaccine-producer countries were hoarding for their own sick people. Even then Rowley called them out.
He managed this pandemic by following the advice of the medical professionals and the World Health Organization (WHO). He listened to the cacophony of advice from non-medical people calling for opening the borders, rum shops and the removal of restrictions but stood firm on the side of science.
The Government was concerned about the effects of the lockdown of the country on families. As a result, the Rowley Government embarked on a massive social and financial programme to ease the plight of citizens. He kept public sector workers, including teachers, on the payroll even while they were at home.
All this would have been in jeopardy had he followed the advice of some of the local economists and rushed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Finance Minister Colm Imbert searched for funds that would not attract IMF-like conditions. While all this was happening, commodities prices were dropping because the pandemic was sparing none. The energy market was dismal.
All this and more were happening in the first year of Rowley’s second term. He and his ministers handled the social and economic fallouts by levelling with the people. As prime minister he led the charge on every occasion by “calling a spade a spade.” Contrary to the Opposition naysayers, Rowley offered the leadership one would expect in a national crisis.
The same cannot be said of the members of the “loyal” Opposition. They were contradicting themselves on every major issue. They were hopelessly ineffective in challenging the Government in Parliament. They were substituting boorish behaviour for substance.
In the first year of Rowley’s second term, four other ministers, Terrence Deyalsingh, Imbert, Donna Cox and Clarence Rambharath, have done extremely well working in the interest of TT.

HARRY PARTAP

former UNC MP

Cumuto Manzanilla

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