While many Commonwealth countries have ceremonial Heads of State (HOS) who are visible symbols of national unity and who have lifelong histories of social cohesion, Rowley has chosen Christine Kangaloo Garcia who, if newspaper reports are to be believed, has a public trail. record of not promoting anything other than the party interest of PNMs.
Mary Simon, for example, the 30th Governor General of Canada, was a civil servant, diplomat and broadcaster and that country’s first indigenous governor general (an Inuk from Quebec). Ms. Simon has a proven track record of promoting Indigenous issues important to a multicultural and inclusive Canada.
For example, she was actively involved in the negotiations that led to the return of the Canadian Constitution in 1982, which formally enshrined Aboriginal and treaty rights in the supreme law of Canada.
In contrast, Ms. Garcia has no equivalent public record of involvement.
The Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Cindy Kiro of Maori descent, is an academic, administrator and public health advocate. She has a history of promoting the concept of an inclusive, broadly accepted New Zealand where every faith and race finds an equal place.
Droupadi Murmu from the tribal community of India is the ceremonial head of state and a former councilor and governor of India. From 1994 to 1997 she volunteered to teach Hindi, Odia, Mathematics and Geography in Rairangpur, never demanding full salary for these teaching appointments.
Australia’s Governor-General is David Hurley, a 42-year veteran of the Australian Defense Force who saw action in Somalia and East Timor and who served as Chief of the Defense Force.
Given the geopolitical challenges with Japan significantly increasing its defense budget, China’s expansionist actions, North Korea’s nuclear threat and India’s growing military importance, one can easily see the symbolic importance in Hurley’s ceremonial appointment.
Why can’t Rowley follow in the footsteps of progressive, Commonwealth nations that have ceremonial leaders with extensive histories of speaking out on issues of national unity and consensus?
He could have chosen as President, any citizen with a history of unity, rather than dividing us.
Were there no potential candidates from among our cultural icons, diaspora, academics, working class or sporting fraternities?
Instead, Keith Rowley chose, if reports on social media and in the press are to be believed, a person who to this day has steadfastly served the partisan interests of the PNM elites whose interests seem to forever dominate our democracy. .
Rodney Charles
Deputy of Naparima
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