Sudama: ‘Maraj an opportunist’

RALPH Maraj has been labelled a “supreme, brazen opportunist” who cannot contribute anything to politics, in terms of integrity.

That is the view of former UNC Minister Trevor Sudama, with whom Maraj left the UNC, together with former UNC Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj claiming then that the UNC was not dealing with allegations of corruption and that its leader Basdeo Panday was practising “autocratic maximum leadership.” Over the weekend, Maraj was welcomed back into the arms of the PNM. Maraj told reporters after the announcement that it was “wonderful” to be back and he was willing to serve the party. He said he had always felt love from the PNM and he had never abandoned the ideals and principles of the party, although he and Manning fell out in 1995. He said he was aware that “cynics” would have their say, but he had always stood up for certain fundamentals.

Sudama, however, was not surprised by Maraj’s move, but questioned Maraj’s statement that he had never abandoned the ideals and principles of the PNM. Yesterday, Sudama told Newsday in a telephone interview that Maraj’s re-entry into the PNM was not entirely unexpected because of his acceptance of a job as consultant in the Ministry of Public Administra-tion last year. “I wasn’t surprised, I knew it was only a matter of time, but I was amazed at his statements,” said Sudama. “If he always embraced the principles of the PNM, what was he doing in the UNC? Except if he is saying that they are both the same.” He added that they had left the UNC based on three principles — “failure to deal with allegations of corruption, the autocratic maximum leadership syndrome of Panday and the question of who influences the party.”