Panday still around — it’s retrograde step for UNC

This is the comment of Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley on the imminent ascension of Dookeran to the position of Political Leader of the UNC under the chairmanship of Panday.

Rowley said Panday had put Dookeran as a shield while he remains the soldier (behind the shield). He said Panday felt that people will forget his manifold sins, but, he said, everyone knew that no matter what cosmetic changes were implemented at the top, at the end of the day the UNC was Panday and Panday the UNC. "I am not fooled. I don’t believe the PNM is fooled and I don’t think the country would be fooled," he said.

Works Minister Colm Imbert also believed that the change meant nothing. "With Panday still around in a dominant position, the people will still be very distrusting of the UNC. That is just window-dressing," he said.

Imbert said if Panday remained as Opposition Leader it would state unequivocally that "he intended to exert his influence and will, and that Dookeran’s so-called leadership is just a charade. The thing would be so jokey because you would have the controversial situation where Dookeran is leader in theory, but Panday is still in control and commands the support of the MPs in the Parliament." However, Imbert stated that the PNM had to be vigilant of any new emerging political situation. "The PNM will have to review the effect on the political landscape," he said.

PNM Deputy Political Leader Ken Valley said he wanted to congratulate Dookeran. However, he said it did not matter who the UNC elected as leader. "If you shift a pack of cards consisting of certain elements, it will be the same deck."

Asked if the change had any implications for the PNM’s dominant position as the ruling party, Valley said the PNM must always analyse a situation and respond accordingly. "We always must be proactive," he said.

Former UNC MP Hulsie Bhaggan said Panday’s retention of the chairmanship was a retrograde step. "Panday should have cleared the way for the complete transformation of the UNC with new blood at the top."

She said while the party might be excited by the change in leadership, as far as the country was concerned, " I don’t think it would fool anyone."