I’m staying to ensure UNC is not sold

Panday was at the time speaking at the UNC North constituency office which played host to the party’s regular Monday Night Forum.

Panday said he discussed the political leadership issue with political leader Winston Dookeran at length, and "I kept my promise by signing his nomination papers for the (internal) election. I have decided to stay on as chairman and not ride into the sunset so people would not give the party to the NAR again only to be vomitted as was done some time ago," Panday told the large crowd.

Saying that the UNC, by itself, had defeated the PNM in 1995 and 2000, Panday vowed. "Victory is our target again in 2007."

Panday said the party’s internal election, scheduled for October 2, was something the PNM never practised. He said there will be voting and at the end of the internal executive elections, members would decide the executive that would run the party for the next two years. "Our aim will be to get rid of the PNM — our only enemy," Panday declared. Panday then described the ruling PNM as a "moribund party full of viciousness, spite, corruption and discrimination."

Panday reiterated statements he made at previous meetings that the UNC was not for sale and wondered aloud about how members of the other slate were finding money to spend on their campaign.

"When you see a man pursuing power, you see him in all his nakedness. They want power for power sake and not for service," Panday said. He added that all candidates on his slate had a history of struggle, "standing up to defend you with their lives."

"It is a good thing happening to this party because in the final analysis we will be stronger."

He explained that the symbol of his slate — "the position of prayers — is a divine gesture with a universal appeal to truth, service and humility that binds us all."

Panday said the UNC would "become highly professionalised as it was on its way to take over power once again." He described the UNC "as a political prize among parties in the Caribbean, moreso as we defeated the PNM not once but twice, getting over three hundred thousand votes in 2000."

Panday warned supporters that "you must not continue to live with an inferiority complex that the PNM has placed on us. We won twice and we will win again."