Subhas Panday agreed with tearoom fracas report

Princes Town MP Subhas Panday indicated to the Privileges Committee that he was basically in agreement with what was in the Report on the tearoom fracas between Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Fyzabad MP Dr Roodal Moonilal. This, according to the minutes of the Committee of Privileges’ final meeting at which the Report was finalised. This meeting was held on Tuesday March 15. According to sources at  that meeting a draft Report which had been circulated before to members for their comments, was put up on power point and each point was discussed in detail making reference to the evidence.

The discussion on each point was done until the Committee was able to present a consensual position or present the majority view, while indicating that there was a minority position (by saying “one member disagreed with this”). Minutes at the conclusion of the March 15 meeting indicate that on two occasions, Committee Chairman Barry Sinanan asked Panday if he was happy with the Report. He also answered in the affirmative when Sinanan asked all members whether they agreed to sign the Report and then table it in the House of Representatives.

The Minutes are as follows:
Jackie Sampson-Jacent: “Is the Committee finished?”
Mr Chairman (Barry Sinanan): “We are happy with that?
Mr (Subhas) Panday: “Yes”.
Mr Bereaux: “I have already said all what I think. If you want to put it, I am not going to make a major noise about it.”
Mr “Okay, Mr Bereaux, your comments as circulated, are in the report. Did we deal with them.”
Mr Bereaux: “As at this time, yes.”
Mr Chairman: “Mr Panday, you are happy with that? “
Mr Panday: “Yes.”
Mr Chairman: “Members of the Committee, this report will be finalised and the final report will be circulated to all members.

On Thursday each member will have the final report and it is proposed that on the resumption of Parliament, whenever that is, this report will be laid. It will be circulated on Thursday; you have an opportunity to sign it and then we will table the report. Are we all in agreement?” Members (of the Committee): “Yes.” Panday however did not sign the Report, although his UNC colleague Gillian Lucky did. All other members signed. Since the laying of the Report, Panday has stated that he was unhappy with it.

But Committee members confirmed that at the last meeting of the Committee he did not say so, when he was questioned by the Chairman. The Report and the decision of  Gillian Lucky to sign, has had a major fallout. On Monday, Lucky and Fuad Khan announced their decision to become “independent UNC MPs”, days after Lucky clashed with Panday at a parliamentary caucus. During the clash Panday told her that politics had a morality of its own and that if her professional integrity was more important to her than politics, she should get out of politics.