"UNITY" RALLY WELCOMES MAHARAJ TO T&T'S UNC;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT OF SPAIN 000253

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SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SENV KCRM TD
SUBJECT: "UNITY" RALLY WELCOMES MAHARAJ TO T&T'S UNC;
DIVISIONS STILL EVIDENT

REF: A. PORT OF SPAIN 00245

B. PORT OF SPAIN 00229

C. PORT OF SPAIN 00200

D. PORT OF SPAIN 00141


1. SUMMARY: The United National Congress (UNC) held a
Unity Rally on February 19 to smooth over divisions in
the party and to criticize the ruling People's National
Movement. Former UNC Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence
Maharaj keynoted and received a warm welcome. In spite
of fiery speeches, the UNC has not clearly healed its
rift, and Political Leader Winston Dookeran continues
to be sidelined by Leader of the Opposition Basdeo
Panday and his team. END SUMMARY.

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DIVERGING MESSAGES AT THE UNITY RALLY
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2. Trinidad and Tobago's opposition United National
Congress (UNC) held a Unity Rally on February 19.
Supporters flooded the parking lot of a shopping mall
in south-central Trinidad to express their commitment
to the party in spite of its apparent internal
divisions (reftels). Organizers estimated that some
25,000 UNC stalwarts stood in the hot sun for five
hours. In return, they got to hear the party
leadership denounce the Peoples' National Movement
(PNM) government and outline, very briefly, the party's
platform for the anticipated next general elections.
They also witnessed Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj's triumphal
return to speak at a party function.


3. Although it was billed as a Unity Rally, some
internal differences were immediately apparent. One
group held signs criticizing Chief Whip Ganga Singh for
being a divisive force in the party (ref A). Others
carried placards saying "Maharaj in Parliament Now" and
still another group directed their displeasure with
everyone, carrying signs saying, "Get the Politics
Right, Right NOW." Many attendees wore t-shirts
supporting their electoral district, including some who
were from Political Leader Winston Dookeran's area.
Although there was speculation that Dookeran would stay
away since he had asked that the rally be canceled (ref
B),his supporters were confident, asserting, "Even
though Panday has lost his marbles, Dookeran will be
here. You'll see."


4. Still other UNC supporters took the opportunity to
protest specific PNM policies. The proposed Alcoa
Aluminum Smelter was the target of at least three
different protest groups, including a large banner that
blocked the main platform from time to time.
Additional placards protested the treatment of sugar
workers and, of course, deplored the rising crime rate
and widespread poverty.

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SPEECHES: DOWN WITH THE PNM, LONG LIVE PANDAY'S UNC
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5. Deputy Political Leader Wade Mark, acting as Master
of Ceremonies, used his opening comments to challenge
the PNM to call snap elections, because "the united UNC
is ready." Nearly all the speakers hit the same
themes: Prime Minister Patrick "Mugabe" Manning wants
to be emperor, the PNM is abusing its power and using
state organs to decimate the ranks of the UNC before
the next elections and the PNM is misallocating the
country's resources. While most speakers simply made
these assertions, well-known lawyer and UNC Member of
Parliament Kamla Persad-Bissessar cited numerous
statistics and development indices to paint the picture
that, in spite of high petroleum revenues, the PNM
government has not bettered the lot of the average
Trinbagonian. In light of Panday's legal troubles with
the Integrity Commission (ref C),she also ran through
a list of PNM members in political office who did not
declare their assets to the Commission and against whom
no court processes have been filed. Beleagured UNC
Senator Sadiq Baksh also gave a detailed account of his
trials and tribulations stemming from the contraband
found on his property (ref D),alleging that the PNM is
setting him up to be assassinated, or at least
discredited politically.


6. The crowd was primed to hear Ramesh Lawrence
Maharaj speak. Wade Mark was careful to identify him
as an invited guest, but did point out that he was

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formerly Chief Whip and a Deputy Political Leader in
the party; almost certainly warning shots to Ganga
Singh (ref A) and to Winston Dookeran. Maharaj started
his comments in a conciliatory tone, stating that it
was good to be back in the house of the UNC. He talked
about the UNC's admirable goals for the future, and how
he felt "tabanca," a Trini slang term denoting
desperate longing, for the UNC. When he said that he
was sorry for causing pain and heartache to the UNC,
the crowd cheered thunderously and he received a
standing ovation from the platform. After this
overwhelming sign of approbation, Maharaj carefully
used "we" rather than "you" when referring to the UNC;
a clear indication that Maharaj intends to officially
come back into the party.


7. Dookeran did show up, and spoke as advertised.
However, his speech focused less on problems with the
PNM Government and more on the need to move forward
within the UNC. In return, he was booed by the crowd
(at least one local newspaper has reported the claim
that the boos came from a group that was paid to do
so),but continued with his speech. Dookeran spent the
majority of his time talking about the internal
challenges that the UNC faces, rather than the evils of
the PNM. His speech came the closest to outlining a
concrete platform and way forward for the UNC. He also
took the politically risky move of sticking up for
fired and resigned UNC Senators Robin Montano and Roy
Augustus, respectively (ref A),as well as reaching out
to alienated UNC backbencher Gerald Yetming.

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IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE: CONTINUED DIVISION?
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8. COMMENT: While a pretty piece of theatre for the
rank-and-file, the rally did little or nothing to heal
the rift in the party. Panday is still wholly in
control of his UNC, as evidenced by his triumphal
entrance to a procession of tassa drums and the strains
of Yanni's stirring "Santorini" which interrupted
Senator Sadiq Baksh's litany of grievances against the
PNM (ref D). Dookeran still seems to be out of step
with the juggernaut. Even though Panday included
Dookeran in his announced UNC dream team of Panday,
Jack Warner, Dookeran and Maharaj, it remains to be
seen if Dookeran will really have a place in the party,
and a say in the direction it goes.


9. In spite of these internal differences, an
unscientific online poll by one of the major newspapers
indicates that the UNC is certainly still in the
running, with a plurality of respondents answering that
the UNC could beat the PNM in an election.
Additionally, the UNC can count on its loyal Indo-Trini
base to guarantee a good showing in any upcoming
elections. The real question will be how effective
each party is in reaching out to voters outside their
respective ethnic populations. END COMMENT.


AUSTIN