Time to love again

BASDEO PANDAY in his first public appearance since being elected as Chairman of the United National Congress (UNC) said that the in-fighting within the party was over it was time to love again. And as he gave assurance that the bickering during the party’s internal elections was part of the building process of a new democratic party, new UNC political leader Winston Dookeran sounded the battle call for the party’s troops to ready themselves for regaining power in government. Panday and Dookeran were both feature speakers at the Civic Reception and Award Ceremony of the Penal/ Debe Regional Corporation held at the Gulf City Auditorium on Friday night.

Referring to the conflict between opposing slates while campaigning for the various posts in the internal elections, Panday urged supporters it was time to move forward. He told the audience: “Over the past two to three weeks you have been traumatised over events that have taken place. It’s over now and you have no need to be concerned. We were trying to build something new and it’s always hard to build something new.” Panday, who held the post of political leader since 1988, explained that the UNC was seeking to build a “truly democratic party such as does not exist and has never existed in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.” He said the party had become stronger and that the focus must now be shifted toward rebuilding the party. 

Dookeran, in his first public speech too as new political leader of the UNC, pledged to serve the party with honour, dignity and respect as he sought to lead the UNC into regaining the reins of government. He called on supporters to ready themselves immediately for the task ahead since the country was becoming a failing state led by a non-functioning Government. “I would like to urge you that we must seek for radical solutions. The old solutions will not work, the old solutions have brought us to where we are,” the St Augustine Member of Parliament said. Dookeran paid special tribute to Panday, who with former UNC MP Trevor Sudama he recalled, recruited him into politics. “Little did I know that 30-odd years later that I would be standing here today to take the responsibility to lead the UNC into the government of TT,” he remarked.

Dookeran was called upon to speak first and when it was Panday’s turn he reiterated the new political leader’s call for UNC supporters to ready themselves for the fight to regaining power. “In the capacity of Chairman of the party,” Panday declared, “I propose to shift that focus, in a way in which we shall build a strong army of soldiers which will take us to the victory that was mentioned before.” Panday, however, warned that his behaviour in future months may seem like Chairman Mao. “I am sure that you will forgive me, because what I am trying to do is build an inconquerably disciplined army that will take us to victory.”