Former Port-of-Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing says he has resigned from the People’s National Movement (PNM) after 50 years due to the party’s internal bitterness and viciousness and the hypocrisy of political leader Dr Keith Rowley. Lee Sing, who made his departure from the party public on social media site Facebook on Sunday, said the departure had been coming since 2012.
He said his disenchantment with the PNM was not new but started when Rowley attempted to have him impeached in 2012, following his (Lee Sing’s) public statements against Rowley’s failed motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. He said there were a number of other reasons for his departure but added he was not sure whether he would be joining any other political party.
“I’m at that time in my life where I want to say and do as I wish and that can’t happen in the PNM. I am also not about blind loyalty,” Lee Sing said yesterday in a telephone interview. “To be a PNM member today you must have a long brown nose, and you must position yourself below the waist of the political leader.” Lee Sing, who said he was a member of the party since he was 14 years old, said he felt there was too much bitterness and acrimony in the party.
“What I am seeing is a future I don’t want to be a part of.” Lee Sing made his final decision regarding his future with the party after he was interviewed on a radio station on Saturday. During the show he was asked which party he would be supporting for the general election. “I made a statement that the devil you know may not be as bad as the devil you dont know. It went viral.”
Lee Sing began receiving condemnation from callers as well as from members of the PNM. “The number of bitter comments that came my way told me that this was not a place I need to be in. I expect people to disagree but I don’t expect them to hate me. “I am not going to continue with a party that is so vicious. I think they are hapy to see me go,” he added. He raised questions about Rowley’s leadership, saying there was no room for debate in the PNM.
“People seem to forget that Rowley, during the election of the PNM, was perhaps the most vociferous critic of the party and the political leader. “People seem to forget he talked about court martialling the political leader; he spoke against the party and the political leader in Parliament. One would have expected a man like Dr Rowley to welcome debate and discussion.” “Dr Rowley is the party. If, God forbid, Dr Rowley was to die tomorrow, I don’t know what would happen to the party.
“I do not see Al-Rawi (PNM Senator Faris Al- Rawi), who believes he will be the next political leader or Marlene Mc Donald (Port-of-Spain South MP) taking us anywhere.” Lee Sing said he was also concerned about how the party was being managed and led.
“Why in three years the executive only had seven meetings. He said instead of the PNM making friends among themselves they were making enemies.
“They believe if you do not support Dr Rowley you are marked for death.” As for joining another political party, Lee Sing said he did not know what God had in store for him. “This is the first election I am not necessarily going to vote for the PNM. I will look at all of the candidates of all of the parties and I will vote for who I believe will give me the best representation.