Humphrey hopes for a TT ‘rebirth’ of the NAR philosophy

Humphrey was commenting on the state of play within the UNC and within Trinidad and Tobago politics generally. He said a contest over the leadership of the UNC would be "a terrible fight" which would be "very divisive."

He said the leadership question in the UNC could only be resolved by Basdeo Panday, who was the only person who could keep the UNC constituency "consolidated." "But then it (the party) cannot go beyond its constituency," Humphrey commented.

He observed that hope was being expressed that if Winston Dookeran got the leadership maybe he could take the UNC beyond its current constituency.

"Quite frankly I don’t think so. Winston is very well received by everyone, but he is going to have a problem I think with the (UNC) constituency itself. There are interests — individuals in there who are quite powerful. And then you have Ramesh (Lawrence Maharaj) who is a very powerful man himself," he said. He added that Kamla (Persad-Bissessar) was a very powerful, popular lady.

He noted that if Panday stepped aside and allowed an open contest, there would be a terrible struggle. Even if Panday endorsed someone, while the person would have a better chance of winning, there would still be a bitter battle.

Humphrey said there was a big vacuum in the politics of the country — comprising people who support neither the UNC, nor the PNM — which could be filled. He said when he saw the Ken Gordon initiative on the Principles of Fairness, he was hoping that it would emerge politically as the third force.

He said the Principles of Fairness was a very unifying thing, and it was being represented by a very successful, "terrific line-up of persons" — Gordon, Arthur Lok Jack, Tajmool Hosein and Bhoe Tewarie. "I was hoping that that would emerge as a political force," he said, adding that the principles would attract everyone. He predicted that a "rebirth of the NAR" translated into this group, would allow Trinidad and Tobago to "catch up with Singapore in no time."

He recalled that when the NAR crumbled, Tim Gopeesingh, Clive Pantin, Winston Dookeran, Selby Wilson, himself and "people like that" would meet regularly "and keep unity alive." He said Gopeesingh as CEO of the UNC was well placed to bring the UNC into that movement.

"We are hearing that the UNC led by Panday cannot beat the PNM led by Manning.

"But what if the UNC is led by Panday and you get another movement representing those who are not UNC and who are not PNM, like the ONR back in 1981, and that movement talks to both UNC and PNM about finding a formula to unite our people. That could do it."

Humphrey said he agreed with Lloyd Best’s party of parties idea, comprising of many parties united into a coalition. "You need a formula to unite the people of this country and take the racial component out of the politics and have a politics based on genuine interests" he said.