Bereaux: Ramnath afraid of becoming irrevelant

DEPUTY SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Hedwidge Bereaux yesterday brushed aside threats levelled against him and Speaker Barry Sinanan by Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath in Parliament on Friday.

According to Bereaux, Ramnath’s actions are indicative of a man who is afraid of becoming politically irrelevant within the ranks of his own party. On Friday, Sinanan sent the United National Congress (UNC) MP before the Privileges Committee of the House for describing him and Bereaux as “fools”. At a recent meeting held in Couva by unions representing Caroni (1975) Limited workers, Ramnath charged that the Opposition would never be able to settle the issue of restructuring Caroni because Sinanan and Bereaux were fools. The UNC MP added that the matter would have to be settled “in the streets”. Minutes after Sinanan’s ruling on Friday, Ramnath declared: “I will deal with him (Sinanan) and Bereaux outside. He and Bereaux.”

However Bereaux told Sunday Newsday that he was not bothered by Ramnath’s ramblings. “I understand Mr Ramnath’s frustration. He is seeing himself as likely to be passed over again,” he said. Bereaux, who is also MP for La Brea, said several of the younger MPs such as Dr Roodal Moonilal and newcomers like Winston Dookeran have been pushing Ramnath out of the political limelight in the UNC.  The Deputy Speaker added that in “trying to make his place in the sun”, Ramnath has adopted a strategy of “picking on people”. Bereaux lamented that in pursuing this policy, Ramnath has only embarrassed the House and described his attacks against the Chair as highly inappropriate.