Sudama: NTU not contesting polls

NATIONAL TEAM UNITY (NTU) will not contest the upcoming Local Government Elections despite previous indications from party leader Ramesh Lawrence-Maharaj that those polls would provide the political foundation for NTU to build upon.  This was the word yesterday from NTU founding member Trevor Sudama who dismissed as nonsensical reports that he would be joining the People’s National Movement (PNM) government as part of an alleged, imminent Cabinet reshuffle. Sudama told Newsday NTU “decided to let this one pass” because it was in no shape to face the polls at this time. He said a considerable amount of groundwork needed to be done to create a third political force that would cater to the needs of persons who support neither the PNM nor the Opposition United National Congress (UNC). The former minister added that NTU will closely monitor the activities of both major parties during and after the elections. “We are going to see how this pans out.”

On reports that he would be part of any reshuffle of Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s Cabinet, Sudama scoffed: “Somebody is trying to make mischief. I have had no discussions with the PNM. I have never been supportive of the PNM.”  Sudama said that his views about the PNM and its pol-icies are well known in his weekly newspaper column and it was inconceivable to him that anyone could believe that he was actively seeking to join the Government. Following Sunday’s PNM General Council meeting at Balisier House, the Prime Minister said there was no imminent reshuffle of the Cabinet.