As if trying to keep up with what is going on Internationally isn't bad enough, now Trinidad has its own crisis.
Three government ministers have broken away from the ruling party, the UNC, and have now gone over to the opposition party, The PNM. One of these three was the Attorney General, who by all accounts wants to be Prime Minister. They are rumored to be trying to persuade the President to decree that the leader of the opposition is Prime Minister, since the current Prime Minister no longer commands a majority (with their defection.). This sounds very cut and dried, and might even seem logical to the common man on the street....however the Constitution of TnT says that it can't happen. The only way a standing Prime Minister can be removed is by a vote of No Confidence in Parliament. And then if he loses that vote he will be replaced by the leader of the opposition, OR he has the choice of calling a General Election within 7 days. Now what learned men lawyers, past Attorney Generals etc. in Trinidad, who are not involved in the politics of this situation one way or the other, are saying is that what happens if the President goes against the constitution for personal reasons (His term is up in 2002 and supposedly the "three musketeers" and the leader of the opposition have promised him a second term should they gain office) and appoints the leader of the opposition as Prime Minister. And rightly so the Prime Minister says he is not moving because the decree by the President is unconstituional. What happens next? Does the army move under orders of the President to physically remove the Prime Minister, who is the Chief of Defence? Or is there bloodshed in the street as the grassroots rise up and do battle along party lines with one side having the perception that the Prime Minister does not want to relinquish power? *shakes head* It's really sad when just a few men can take such a beautiful country and have it balanced on a knife's edge for personal greed and lust for power. I wonder what those Trinidadians that left the United States after Sept 11th are thinking now? Out of the frying pan and into the fire eh :-\ Dammit. -Gel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Get the mailserver that powers this list at http://www.coolfusion.com Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
