Trinidad's PM must resign now!

This week there was consternation over Prime Minister Rowley’s response to widespread concern over the spate of recent fatal domestic violence incidents. The latest tragedy of that type was the murder of Jamilia DeRevenaux at MovieTowne last Sunday night.
The statements have prompted several calls for Dr Rowley to step down as Prime Minister. Former Port of Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing joined that chorus.
The PM’s comments are strongly reminiscent of those made by former mayor of Port of Spain Raymond Tim Kee in the aftermath of the gruesome murder of Japanese pannist Asami Nagakiya, last Carnival. Tim Kee had stated that “women had a responsibility to ensure they were not abused and that they ought not to behave vulgar while playing mas”.
Interestingly, Dr Rowley had used the analogy of domestic violence during the recent local government campaign asserting that “around nine o’clock on Monday night”, the UNC would accuse him of “domestic violence” after his party defeated Persad-Bissessar’s party at the polls.
Now Dr Rowley is being accused of insensitivity to female victims of domestic violence. The public’s outrage revolves around the PM’s declaration that, “you called on the Prime Minister to do something about crime. I am not in your bedroom. I am not in your choice of men…you have a responsibility to determine who you associate with and know when to get out and the State will try to help.”
Social media regulars have been circulating provocative images of Dr Rowley’s 2015 Carnival wine with teenager Ravina Rampersad and photos of Mrs Rowley, with the sarcastic caption “choose wisely”.
There are multiple issues with Dr Rowley’s comments. The first is that expressed by the women’s movement which views the PM’s comments as both sexist and victim-blaming. The concern is that women are held responsible for the violence perpetrated against them by men while men are being exonerated.
Feminist advocacy group Womantra, called on Dr Rowley for “an apology for your terrible lack of judgment and faulty reasoning that is steeped in a culture of misogyny that blames women”.
Women’s rights activist, Diana Mahabir-Wyatt, declared that Dr Rowley’s comments reflect a general cultural attitude “that women are responsible when they are molested or killed”.
One blogger put it in a nutshell, “It is Ok for a man to be abusive towards a woman, it’s not the man’s fault that the woman made a bad decision. Thank you, Mr PM for justifying these men’s actions. Women, remember to tell your sons if he hits on his woman, it’s ok because she made a bad decision…I wonder how many men would be single if women made better choices”.
The other issue with the PM’s comments is that it came across as a desperate defensive position for the Government’s lack of a plan in the face of escalating crime. As another blogger wrote “so Keith Rowley just deflected away from addressing the crime situation. One-third of crime is domestic violence. So what about the other two-thirds? Like two-thirds ain’t more than one-third…”
Not surprisingly, the women’s arm of the People’s National Movement, as well as Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, ministers Stuart Young and Camille Robinson-Regis have all come out in strong support of their leader.
What is frightening about the controversy raging around Dr Rowley’s statement is that neither he nor members of his Cabinet perceive anything wrong with it and their bold contention that “it is taken out of context”.
But the damage is already done and no amount of damage control by PNM members can save the day.
The real issue with the PM’s statement is the widespread tendency among some men to attribute blame to women when they are victims of crimes such as rape and murder. This may be part of a wider Latin Caribbean machismo syndrome defined as the “condescension of the swaggering male; the trappings of manliness used to dominate women and keep them in their place.”
The tone of Dr Rowley’s statement also suggests that neither the PM nor his Government is prepared to accept responsibility for the escalating crime rate plaguing the society.
However, under the Westminster model of governance, the buck stops with the Prime Minister. Victims of domestic abuse should not be blamed for the Government’s failure to implement an effective crime plan.
A comprehensive crime plan should seek to understand the root causes of domestic violence and espouse measures to deal with male perpetrators, even educate them.
Male insecurity and not machismo may actually be identified as the overriding cause of domestic violence. Rising unemployment following the Government’s harsh economic measures may further result in further emasculation of males.
This is compounded by intense male competition with highly educated, sophisticated women who are now often the primary breadwinners which worsens the damaged egos of jealous, insecure men.
A firm grasp of the psychology of domestic violence should facilitate a timely resolution.
TRinidadexpress Editorial.

Is the pm a forward thinking guy

he must resign now