Govt takes Dookeran to victory

A BATTLE between the Kamla Persad-Bissessar faction of the Opposition and the Winston Dookeran faction, for a nominee on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Committee, on Monday ended in victory for the Dookeran team, thanks to support from the Government MPs.

The matter at hand was the selection of five members of the local arm of the CPA management committee. Out of the five members, Government is entitled to three, one for the Independent bench and one for the Opposition.

The five persons are chosen at the Annual General Meeting of the TT branch of the CPA, which comprises all members of Parliament from both houses. Sources said normally the Parliament has difficulty even getting a quorum (of 15) for this meeting.

But at Monday’s closed door session, some 36 MPs showed up apparently because they were aware that there were two Opposition candidates. Former Whip Ganga Singh, before resigning, had nominated Manohar Ramsaran while (subsequent to this) new Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, nominated Adesh Nanan.

With neither candidate seeking to withdraw, the matter went to a vote by secret ballot and the Parliament was required to vote for five candidates, out of the six nominations. Ramsaran received 26 votes, while Nanan got ten. In fact, Ramsaran received more votes than two of the PNM nominees Diane Seukeran and Christine Kangaloo and as much votes as Camille Robinson-Regis.

Ramsaran emerged the overwhelming favourite based solely on the support of those Government and Independent senators who were present because none of the persons from his (Ramsaran) own side, who would have been inclined to support him, attended the meeting.

Ganga Singh the proposer, Dookeran the political leader, independent UNC MPs Gillian Lucky and Fuad Khan and independent MP Gerald Yetming, were all absent. But there was a full turnout from the Persad-Bissessar camp.

Present at the meeting were Chandresh Sharma, Hamza Rafeeq, Harry Partap, Subhas Panday, Wade Mark, Nizam Baksh, Jennifer Jones-Kernaha, Persad-Bissessar and Nanan himself. Also, many Government MPs including ministers — who normally find it difficult to find time to attend Joint Select Committee meeting — made it their business to come out in full force. Ramsaran proudly told Newsday: “I went into battle alone and won.”

“All the talk, they talking about unity, she (Persad-Bissessar) could have left my name (as the only nominee) since Ganga had proposed me long before she came with Adesh. But no, they want to destroy all of us who support Dookeran. We must grovel and beg at their feet. They are not getting that from Manohar Ramsaran. I am standing on my principles,” Ramsaran added.

One Government MP, commenting on Ramsaran’s victory, denied suggestions that Government had taken some pleasure in getting involved in and taking advantage of the internal warfare of the UNC.