Panday: UNC MPs under microscope

OPPOSITION LEADER Basdeo Panday yesterday revealed that UNC parliamentarians in the House of Representatives are currently under close scrutiny but declined to say whether he was unhappy with the performance of any particular UNC MP.

Dismissing reports that the next meeting of the UNC’s parliamentary caucus would result in a total shake-up of the UNC’s senatorial line-up, Panday said after nearly a year in Opposition it was “high time” for the party to review the performance of its elected and non-elected members of Parliament as well as its local government representatives.

The UNC leader told Newsday there was nothing unusual about this process and certain sections of the media had no proper understanding about the operations of political parties. Asked whether he was dissatisfied with the performance of any UNC members of the Lower House, Panday replied: “There is always room for improvement.” St Joseph MP Gerald Yetming and St Augustine MP Winston Dookeran have both publicly expressed their disagreement with the UNC’s strategy of non-co-operation with Government on critical legislation and civil disobedience. Barataria/San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan has also been read the riot act by Panday for speaking with former UNC deputy leader Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj about the party’s political future in the post-Panday era. Panday has publicly expressed his desire to retire from active politics at age 70 but said he would not abandon the UNC in mid-stream.

The UNC leader said if any Opposition MP was found to be under-performing in any area, they would be advised of this. Asked what would happen if a UNC MP failed to heed such advice, Panday explained that there was no system to recall the individual under Trinidad and Tobago’s current parliamentary system. “Then should the MP refuse to improve his or her performance, their functions will be assigned to someone else,” he stated. Former UNC junior education minister Roy Augustus was sworn in yesterday as a senator to replace deceased Opposition Senator Arnim Smith.