In my posting Ideas: Do Our Politicians Have Any? (Friday October 19, 2007), I lamented the lack of availability of manifestos from the political parties for the upcoming general election. Notably, the Trinidad Guardian in its editorial of Monday Ocorber 22 “Lack of Manifestos an Insult to Voters”, basically shared the same view as this blogger with respect to the absence of such key political documents.
However, from a posting on Allyuh.com "COP 2007 Election Manifesto Online," (Oct. 25, 2007), I have learnt that the COP (Congress of the People) has made its manifesto available for download on its Web site. Allyuh.com reports that this is probably “a first in national politics,” and as far as this blogger knows, it would seem that this assertion is perhaps well-founded.
So now, contrary to my earlier piece, I have now learnt that the COP does have its own Web site and now too, has made its manifesto available to the public. One down, two to go. Here is the link for the COP Web site. Again, I place here the links for the PNM (People’s National Movement) and the UNC (United National Congress) Web sites, so that people can check and recheck them periodically to see if they will follow suit in placing their manifestos online for download, or at least to see if/when they announce when such documents will be available.
But remember there is no point in just downloading without reading and forming your own opinions about these manifestos. Yet, politicking operates in an arena where personality always seems to trump policy, or in our media age, this may be better put by saying that, “image trumps the issues.” Truly personality and image do matter but as we all know, courting anyone purely on looks without consideration for their beliefs and actions will make for a meaningless and empty relationship.
However, from a posting on Allyuh.com "COP 2007 Election Manifesto Online," (Oct. 25, 2007), I have learnt that the COP (Congress of the People) has made its manifesto available for download on its Web site. Allyuh.com reports that this is probably “a first in national politics,” and as far as this blogger knows, it would seem that this assertion is perhaps well-founded.
So now, contrary to my earlier piece, I have now learnt that the COP does have its own Web site and now too, has made its manifesto available to the public. One down, two to go. Here is the link for the COP Web site. Again, I place here the links for the PNM (People’s National Movement) and the UNC (United National Congress) Web sites, so that people can check and recheck them periodically to see if they will follow suit in placing their manifestos online for download, or at least to see if/when they announce when such documents will be available.
But remember there is no point in just downloading without reading and forming your own opinions about these manifestos. Yet, politicking operates in an arena where personality always seems to trump policy, or in our media age, this may be better put by saying that, “image trumps the issues.” Truly personality and image do matter but as we all know, courting anyone purely on looks without consideration for their beliefs and actions will make for a meaningless and empty relationship.
Following our parties or political personalities like Pied Pipers, without question of what they really stand for and the means by which they seek to accomplish their -if at all- stated goals, can only eventually lead us to the same fate of the famous Pied Piper’s furry followers.
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