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THE UNC's "October Revolution" has begun.
Two days after Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar alerted the public, the UNC launched its latest campaign against the ruling PNM on Saturday with a three-pronged attack of public protests in at least four UNC-controlled constituencies, internal expressions of support for Persad-Bissessar and the criticisms of UNC opponents.
The genesis was the Opposition's unsuccessful attempt on October 21 to convince the Electoral College to support Persad-Bissessar's motion for a tribunal to consider the removal of President Paula-Mae Weekes from office, in accordance with Section 36 of the Constitution.
Persad-Bissessar's motion was in relation to events that led to the collapse of the Police Service Commission (PSC) last month and the issue that a merit list of candidates for a commissioner of police (CoP) was not sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. The college rejected the motion by a vote of 47 to 25.
[caption id="attachment_920609" align="alignnone" width="1024"] UNC Fyzabad MP Lackram Bodoe, fourth from left, stands alongside San Francique residents, as two policemen look on, during a protest on Saturday. - Photo by Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
Immediately after the motion's defeat, Persad-Bissessar declared the matter was not over.
"This matter will be kept alive long after October 21 until the truth is revealed, we will take it to the people as an 'October Revolution' when our Constitution was defeated."
On Saturday, two days later, UNC chairman and Oropouche West MP Dave Tancoo confirmed the start of the "revolution." Joining deputy political leader and Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe at protest at a landslip in Timital, San Francique, Tancoo said, "The Leader of the Opposition has coined a phrase it is called the 'October Revolution'. It is based on the uprising of the people to demand their rights."
"This is an attempt for us to signal to the national community that the October Revolution has started. Join us now. Demand your rights that this government should not be allowed to continue to trample your rights and hide behind cloistered petticoats," he declared.
"That is what they are doing. They have done it in Parliament and they are doing it now."
Bodoe said the protest also dealt with the cry of residents to have their roads fixed. Asked if this was the first of many protests to come, Bodoe replied, "Yes."
Asked if other UNC MPs will lead similar protests, Bodoe replied, "I would expect so …, because many other constituencies are suffering from similar neglect by this government."
UNC San Francique/Avocat North councillor Doodnath Mayhroo called on the government to resign and call a general election if infrastructural issues in the constituency were not fixed. He also called on Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan to resign if the problems were not dealt with in two weeks.
Simultaneously, Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram and Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir were involved in protests in their constituencies, also advocating the October Revolution. Ratiram complained about the poor state of bridges in Couva North. "Today, a revolution has begun because enough is enough." Ratiram claimed, "The dictatorship that we are being governed by are desperate."
Some protesters in Couva North, Cumuto/Manzanilla and San Francique wore black, waved black flags and held placards with anti-PNM slogans.
[caption id="attachment_920611" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Residents gather near a landslip in San Francique on Saturday. - Photo by Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
In a more subdued protest in Cumuto/Manzanilla, Ragbir highlighted a landslip in the Bon Air district. "It has been a sad day." He said that day began in Parliament with the motion's defeat.
"A dagger was plunged into the heart of democracy. The voices that need to be heard, were not heard, they were silenced." Ragbir admitted that "we knew we would be outnumbered."
Apart from the protests, there were party statements of support for Persad-Bissessar and UNC parliamentarians. The national executive said, "This is how democracy and human rights have always been fought for. They are not negotiated in tea-rooms and cocktail parties, but fought in heated battles." The women's arm said, ""Change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it." The women's arm praised Persad-Bissessar and parliamentarians as "tireless defenders of democracy."
The youth arm said it is "is immensely proud of the Opposition’s behaviour as we must never forget what the parliament is there for."
While Persad-Bissessar has said she had nothing personal against Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George, the UNC's San Fernando West executive claimed Annisette-George "will be remembered in our history as the woman who permitted and facilitated an attack on our constitution and outed the light of democracy..."
At an extraordinary sitting of the House, before the Electoral College met on the motion, Annisette-George rejected Persad-Bissessar's claims that it was wrong for no debate to be allowed.
She reminded all MPs, "There are several exceptions and I am certain that the more seasoned parliamentarians, including the Honourable Leader of the Opposition, are familiar with them."
The Opposition on Saturday also criticised the nine independent senators who voted against the motion. UNC Senator David Nakhid, in a statement aimed at Independent senators Paul Richards and Anthony Vieira, said, "The citizens of this country will look past the hypocritical, well-clothed incivility that passes for independence by many commentators in TT." He claimed Vieira made allegations against opposition senators by saying that they are not independent and that they were "singing for their supper." Nahkid slammed Richards for comparing the UNC's behaviour to a fish market. He said, "Sometimes in a fish market, the stench that arises can be coming from your own stall." Nakhid demanded swift apologies from Richards and Vieira "for these unwarranted and unnecessary attacks."
Vieira and Richards made their comments in separate media interviews on October 22. Vieira rejected the UNC's claims against Independent Senator Charisse Seepersad, the sister of former PSC chairman Bliss Seepersad who resigned as a result of the PSC/CoP issue, participating in the Electoral College meeting. Vieira observed that Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial, who also participated in the meeting, was part of the legal team in one matter relating with the PSC/CoP matter.
Richards said he had no problem with political disagreements. But he felt the events which transpired on October 21 brought the entire Parliament into disrepute.
During the meeting of the Electoral College, UNC parliamentarians cried "shame" when each of the nine Independent senators voted "no" against Persad-Bissessar's motion.
 
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