THE EDITOR: Political comments and/or support can sometimes be so selfishly convenient.
When Karen Nunez-Tesheira jumped over a barrier at the funeral service of former prime minister Basdeo Panday, there was, naturally, condemnation of her breaking established procedures, more so given her status as an attorney, a former Member of Parliament and a government minister.
But why was that quirky public act endorsed by others, including the former prime minister’s brother Subhas Panday?
Subhas Panday reportedly said his late brother would have approved of Nunez-Tesheira’s action.
He went on to say that if it was possible, Basdeo would have told Nunez-Tesheira: “Karen, come girl! Come girl! Don’t care about anything! You come girl!” And, to those in charge of his funeral proceedings – police, security, relatives etc – he would have said: “No, no, no! Don’t put out anybody!”
Yes, we all know that Basdeo remained politically down-to-earth, even while he held the highest political position in the land, but was he really flawless as far as submitting to ethical and/or legal decrees? Given his legal challenges, can we say he was resilient to flouting even basic instructions?
Modest but clear-cut decrees that we set not just for the tranquil management of our country, but just as important for our children’s appropriate upbringing by following influential exemplars, did Basdeo Panday approved of people breaking those simple instructions?
Again, are certain political comments/actions lauded at the appropriate time, but totally condemned at another time by the same people?
Hulsie Bhaggan was a founding member of the United National Congress (UNC), of which the same Panday was leader. Some time in the early 90s while still a Member of Parliament while the UNC was in Opposition, Bhaggan sat on the Uriah Butler Highway in protest against the then proposed construction of the Guayamare section of the highway, and perhaps the inadequate compensation/proper relocation of her fellow villagers.
Strangely, this courageous stance and other outspoken assertions, not just for herself but on behalf of others, led to her eventual expulsion from the very political party she helped form, headed by no other than the same Panday we are now saying would have approved of a former MP and government minister breaking set standards by jumping over barriers.
With the greatest respect to Panday, who is only now being applauded for the sensitivity he demonstrated towards common folks, even while holding the highest political office in the land, and the shrewd political paradoxes he naively made us aware existed, it’s really mind-boggling to witness the mimicking of those same political absurdities by supposedly respected people, and the approval of it by others of the same clan.
Does politics really have a morality of its own?
LLOYD RAGOO
Chaguanas
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