Panday: PNM drug lords put me in jail

His allegation came at a UNC rally at Pasea Road in Tunapuna on Monday night.

"I would not be surprised if the drug lords had a hand in my arrest," he told the medium-sized crowd, adding, "Expect more charges against me."

He alleged that the PNM was linked to the alleged drug lords.

"The PNM set up the URP (Unemployment Relief Programme) and CEPEP to provide money to the drug pushers to buy drugs from the drug lords." He said he was putting his life in danger by making such statements. "The Government is protecting the drug lords."

Panday said the drug lords were now kidnapping certain businessmen in order to chase them from Trinidad and Tobago so the drug lords could then buy their properties cheaply in order to launder their drug money. "I have been making the link, so expect anything to happen to me." Panday said the Government had "hacks and hitmen" in the Police Service to terrorise people, noting the "armed thugs" who had recently gone to his Phillipine house to try to arrest him and his wife, Oma Panday.

He said he had decided to go to jail to prove his innocence of the bribery charges. "If I am convicted it is because they will bring false evidence and false witnesses. I can’t get a fair trial in Trinidad and Tobago from a PNM-biased court."

Panday addressed the question of the UNC reconciling with alienated members and former members. He warned, "We must have reconciliation on the basis of party unity." Referring to the exit of former UNC ministers Ramesh Maharaj, Ralph Maraj and Trevor Sudama, he said, "We don’t want the same thing that happened to us in 2000. Three men left the UNC. We need a guarantee that that kind of indiscipline will not take place. We need to build a disciplined army."

Saying crime was likely to keep getting worse, Panday said Prime Minister Patrick Manning might decide to call an early general election, and so the UNC needed to get organised now.