Panday, Dookeran blank UNC caucus

The meeting was chaired by Opposition Chief Whip, Ganga Singh. Party Chairman and Opposition Leader, Basdeo Panday, did not attend. Also absent was UNC’s recently anointed political leader, Winston Dookeran.

The meeting also did not have the benefit of deputy political leaders Wade Mark, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Jack Warner. Singh shied away from commenting after the meeting, on the absence of the top MPs of the party at what was a re-scheduled parliamentary caucus meeting. Party treasurer, Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma, who also did not attend the meeting, said yesterday that his absence was due to a previous engagement he had to fullfil. Caroni East MP, Dr Hamza Rafeeq, said he had to pick up a relative at the university and was delayed. Nariva MP, Harry Partap, said he was ill at home. Also failing to attend the meeting were Chaguanas MP Manohar Ramsaran, MPs Subhas Panday (Princes Town) and Dr Adesh Nanan (Tabaquite).

However, the caucus, which turned out to be a meeting of the "Progressive" slate, saw in attendance — Senator Sadiq Baksh, Oropouche MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, Naparima MP Nizam Baksh, and Senators Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan and Roy Augustus.

A source told Newsday that despite the healing talks, party members still viewed themselves as being aligned to either "The Patriots" or "Progressives" slates.