Guyanese Online

AUGUST 9, 2013 · BY Stabroek News – EDITORIAL

Ever since Jack Warner’s victory in the Chaguanas West by-election in Trinidad on July 29, there has been a lot of excited comment in the twin-island republic about a “paradigm shift” in the politics of the country. Unsurprisingly, some interest has been aroused in Guyana, where we have rather similar ethnic voting patterns. A bit of the buzz has also spread to other parts of the Caribbean, with the Jamaica Observer opining in its editorial on Tuesday, “The most intriguing possibility posed by the election of Mr Jack Warner is the emergence of post-racial politics in Trinidad.”

Notwithstanding the fact that Mr Warner would appear to have transcended race and party paramountcy to reclaim the seat he vacated in April, this newspaper warned in last Friday’s leader that Mr Warner’s re-election could be “a double-edged sword for the people of Trinidad and Tobago.” In other words, in spite of the validation by the voters of Chaguanas West of his personal popularity and his reputation as a caring politician, as well as the momentum he and his new Independent Liberal Party seem to be carrying into the October local government elections, it may be a tad premature to get carried away by his achievement whilst there remain serious allegations of financial mismanagement during his colourful career as a football administrator and other controversies surrounding his ministerial actions under the People’s Partnership (PP) government.  Continue reading →