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