A NEW Government is now in place in Trinidad and Tobago. And, contrary to gloomy speculations of post-election disturbances, the country remains stable and peaceful. Christmas shopping and partying were taking place as the main Opposition People's National Movement moved to the High Court Thursday with its petition to disqualify two candidates of the governing United National Congress - Winston "Gypsy" Peters and William Chaitan over a dual citizenship issue.
The post-election impasse that resulted from the delayed certification by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) of the results of the December 11 poll, was more a technicality rather than any deliberate action on the part of President A.N.R. Robinson, as some wrongly felt.
It is true that there has been lingering tension between the President and the Prime Minister following their open row last year over the delay by Mr. Robinson to revoke the appointments of two Government Senators from Tobago as Mr Panday had requested, and as finally happened.
But the nine days it took before the President administered the oath to Mr. Panday as Prime Minister, had to do with his decision, as explained in an earlier national broadcast, to first be in possession of the certified results from the EBC.
The EBC itself which, according to the People's Representation Act, had a week to provide the certification, had to await requested recounts in three of the 36 constituencies, including that of Tunapuna, one of the marginal seats that secured for the incumbent UNC a 19-16 majority over the PNM. The National Alliance for Reconstruction won the remaining one.
Not since the introduction of voting machines under the PNM administration of then Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams in 1960, has the electoral process in Trinidad and Tobago come under such critical focus as that of the just-concluded election, with claims of vote-fixing and unsubstantiated allegations against the EBC by the PNM.
The new chairman of the EBC, Oswald Wilson, successor to Sir Isaac Hyatali who died during surgery within three days of the election, has felt it necessary to openly accuse the PNM of "wild and irresponsible" allegations against the Commission.
The PNM's petition seeking to disqualify the two UNC candidates could either be dismissed, result in by-elections, or a possible 18-18 Parliamentary stalemate. Whatever the final outcome, two very important factors resulting from the December 11 election, are, first: The UNC's most significant inroads into once PNM strongholds to increase its profile as more of a national party than one merely tied to one of the country's two major ethnic communities.
Secondly, Mr. Panday's UNC has broken the jinx of one-term Governments that has been the pattern since 1981. For now, as he completes the shape of his new Cabinet, the congratulations pouring into Port-of-Spain from regional and other Governments, seem quite appropriate.
