Panday doesn’t want me as Opposition Leader

"Mr Manning did not want me to become Governor of the Central Bank. And Mr Panday does not want me to become Opposition Leader. I am just amused by it all," Dookeran said.

Another UNC source commenting on Dookeran’s dilemma said that while Manning felt Dookeran was too Indian, Panday felt he was not Indian enough. "Both of them survive on the political entrepreneurship of race," the source stated.

According to sources, Panday made it very clear in the "healing meeting" of all candidates at Rienzi Complex on Wednesday that he did not plan to step down as Opposition Leader, and that the issue was certainly not something for the party to determine. The matter was raised at the meeting by Stephen Kangal. According to sources, Panday, in explaining his decision not to hand over the Opposition Leadership, remarked: "Nobody ain’t mashing up this party." To which one candidate reportedly replied: "You mashing it up. You doing a good job of it."

In what all sources described as a "very frank and aggressive meeting," sparks flew between Panday and Senator Roy Augustus. Sources stated that at one point, Augustus reminded Panday that during a discussion on whether or not to bring back Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, he (Panday) said he intended to bring back Maharaj to "mash him up."

Augustus reportedly asked Panday if he forgot that he (Panday) told him in Arnim Smith’s bedroom that he will bring back Maharaj, "twist him, turn him, chew him up and then spit him out." Sources said Panday said nothing in direct response to Augustus’ statement. "He merely told Roy that ‘this badjohn thing would not work.’" Said one former Patriot: "He (Panday) was very patient."

At another stage during the meeting, sources said Panday threatened Augustus, saying that if he could not accept what he (Panday) was doing, he (Augustus) could leave. A defiant Augustus replied: "I am not leaving. You invited me here!"

Sources said some of the difficulties of a dual leadership were raised at the meeting. Some candidates pointed out that both Dookeran’s and Panday’s opinion were being sought by the media, and there might be times when the two men would give completely different positions on an issue.

At the executive meeting which followed this ‘healing meeting,’ the other vexed issue — the recount — was addressed. Dookeran continued to press for an independent inquiry. However, the Patriot-dominated executive resisted, saying that an investigation would make the party look bad. A decision on the issue has been put off to next Wednesday. The executive was not sworn in because many of the members, including the Political Leader, were stuck in a massive traffic jam, and arrived late.

In a release issued yesterday, Chaguanas MP Manohar Ramsaran expressed disappointment at Panday’s decision not to hand over to Dookeran. Ramsaran said the dual leadership situation will undermine the credibility and by extension the integrity of the UNC among its membership as well as among the increasing third constituency. Ramsaran, whose constituency executive had passed a resolution calling on Panday to hand over to Dookeran, yesterday appealed to Panday to review his decision "in the interest of taking the party forward."