Quotations - time to remove the blinkers

Emile Elias:

I am also reliably informed that the EBC computers were hacked into by a certain insurance executive in 2000, with the result that he was able to implement a scheme to delete registered voters' names and move others to polling divisions where they did not live, thereby causing havoc, with many persons, including my wife, unable to vote! All this from the comfort of his office. I know the culprits-call the names, and I'll whistle.

Martin Daly:

Turning now to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), town has been saying since July that it is the Government's intention to manners that office. The meddlesome Attorney General may have represented that there has been a good working relationship between himself and the DPP.

Many of us know differently. There have been racy exchanges between the Attorney General and the DPP on the deficiencies of the criminal justice system, about who should be prosecuted and by whom, as well as the need to ensure that decisions to prosecute are fairly and objectively made and not politically driven. The electorate would be greatly disturbed if these exchanges were revealed.

I am not surprised, therefore, about suggestions that intentions are harboured to subordinate the office of the DPP to that of Attorney General in a dangerous, root and branch reversal of our present constitutional arrangements and I am at a loss to understand how a fundamental change in the relationship between those two offices can be sanctified by "consultation with the people".

Raffique Shah:

Can the PNM and UNC explain why they see it fit to hold concerts instead of meetings at which they educate, not entertain, the youths? Worse, these shindigs seem to have more reggae artistes than local performers.

Dennis Pantin:

Both Messrs Manning and Panday are on record as favouring an executive presidency.

The emphasis on an executive presidency by Manning and Panday has never been fully justified.

One is left to speculate that these two individuals—having tasted prime ministerial office—wish to remove whatever de jure constraints exist to de facto reality that prime ministers become maximum leaders.

Reginald Dumas:

Ken Valley may not ever have spoken out if his candidacy had been successful. He will have to live with that shortfall in timing and timeliness. But in my opinion the principle he raised is absolutely correct: there is a constitutional dictatorship in the making. If we allow it to take form, we will all, PNMites included, live to regret our inaction.