Basdeo: A battle cry to her party tied to succession

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar appears to have issued a battle cry to the United National Congress as the party confronts the question of who will eventually succeed her. Political analyst Dr Maukesh Basdeo said her Independence Day references to “savagery” and “total war” carried that message.

Speaking on TV6’s Morning Edition, Basdeo discussed a Monday message Persad-Bissessar sent to the “UNC family.” She said the party’s membership needed “steeliness and savagery,” language that Basdeo interpreted as a call to take responsibility for poor decisions and make firmer choices going forward.

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It’s either peace or total war, nothing in between

Basdeo said the UNC had faced internal challenges, conflicts and dissent among its ranks. The party nevertheless overcame those difficulties to win the April 2025 general election. In his view, Persad-Bissessar was also urging the organization to preserve its unity as succession discussions continued.

He said the prime minister’s words could be read as preparation for “succession planning within the UNC itself.” Her message, he suggested, set an expectation that the next leader would be strong enough to hold the party together. The Opposition People’s National Movement has raised concerns about whether such language is appropriate, but Basdeo noted that separating a prime minister from a party leader can be difficult when one person holds both roles.

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do not crawl on your belly for anyone

Persad-Bissessar told UNC supporters, “It’s either peace or total war, nothing in between,” and warned them not to “crawl on your belly for anyone.” She said the party leadership “must never fall into the hands of weak men and women,” adding that diplomacy without strength would not be enough to defend its membership.

Basdeo also addressed Persad-Bissessar’s separate Independence Day message to Trinidad and Tobago. He said she was urging the country to stop blaming its problems on its colonial past and accept responsibility for decisions made during the 64 years since independence. He noted that the country’s major groups were formed through the colonial experience.

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must never fall into the hands of weak men and women