Abdulah: I have no regrets

Abdulah told Newsday the decision had been “carefully thought over” before it was made public at the OWTU’s Paramount Building headquarters in San Fernando on Sunday.

“There are no regrets over the decision,” said Abdulah, who is also the OWTU general secretary. “We have received very positive feedback from the people.”

Abdulah, who had several appointments in the capital, Port-of-Spain, said he was frequently stopped by passers-by who applauded the move.

“Wherever I went, people would stop me to say they admired our decision to leave the coalition,” he said.

Asked whether he was surprised by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s statement that his demands of the Government had been “impossible, unreasonable and reckless”, Abdulah said her comment showed why the MSJ had challenges in getting the People’s Partnership to focus on the issue of good governance.

He said he has spoken about “certain difficulties” with former MSJ leader, Errol McLeod, the Labour Minister, about two weeks ago but they had not talked since then.

Abdulah is expected to address Labour Day celebrations in Fyzabad today.

Despite the exit of the MSJ from the PP, Basdeo Panday, a former veteran trade unionist and UNC founder who went on to be elected Prime Minister, yesterday said the coalition Government will not experience any loss of political power.

Panday said the stability of the Government was not unduly affected by the MSJ’s departure because of the “love of power” among members of the remaining four parties of the PP—UNC, COP, TOP and NJAC.

“The stability of the Government has not been threatened,” he said.

Asked whether the MSJ could transform into a major party on the national political scene, Panday said this was unlikely.

“Under our present political system that would not take place,” he said, adding, “unless there is constitutional reform that would not occur.”

Panday observed it was not possible for a third party to survive under the traditional two party system of governance.

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"Abdulah: I have no regrets"

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