UNC divided over Panday

Speaking with reporters after a meeting with business persons at the TT Chamber of Commerce building yesterday, Singh said Panday was in good spirits and good health. However he downplayed reports that Panday plans to initiate a hunger strike soon. "You better ask Mr Panday that. I did not discuss that matter with him. I think you should direct that question to the person who called for the hunger strike," Singh stated. He added that in prison, Panday has no access to electronic media and did not know what was said at Wednesday night’s UNC meeting in Gasparillo.

Singh reiterated the Opposition’s call for all UNC supporters to come to the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court next Tuesday (when Panday’s matter comes up for hearing) "in order to establish solidarity with Mr Panday for the symbolic fight for freedom that he has engaged in by choosing to remain in prison." The Chief Whip also admitted that while he would like to see "independent UNC MPs" Gillian Lucky and Dr Fuad Khan, and even former UNC attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj at court on Tuesday, this was unlikely to happen. "Unity is always a desirable aspiration but there are certain logistics that have to be fulfilled in order for unity to be achieved," Singh conceded.

However, speaking with reporters immediately after Singh and Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar left, Yetming admitted that while he had grave concerns about the perception that Panday’s arrest was politically motivated, he was uncertain if the party’s strategies in the wake of the UNC leader’s arrest were appropriate. Firstly, he disagreed with the call for UNC supporters to assemble en masse at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court next Tuesday. Noting there was the possibility of high emotions and even violence on that day, Yetming said’ "I would not support that kind of action at all. I think things will take its proper course. I don’t really think there is need for mass mobilisation on a day like that. I don’t really think it makes sense."

Yetming said the fact that he was not at the court on Tuesday (when Panday was arrested) or that he is yet to visit Panday in jail does not imply there is a fallout between the UNC’s leadership and himself. "We can show support in different ways. I am not too sure sometimes of the benefit of this kind of action," he explained.

Asked if he agreed with certain controversial statements made at the UNC’s meeting in Gasparillo on Wednesday, Yetming admitted that he did not agree with some things that were said on the party’s platforms or caucus meetings. He said while he hoped that the collective majority wisdom of the party would prevail in those circumstances, it was impossible to prevent individuals from making "all kinds of wild statements." Yetming added that only such wisdom could keep an organisation "on the right path despite utterances to the contrary."