Dookeran wants fresh UNC elections

Dookeran told a cottage meeting in Tabaquite Wednesday night that Gary Griffith’s suspension demonstrated a “FIFA-type” politics by a cabal group within the UNC. However, in an immediate response to Dookeran’s assertions, FIFA vice-president and UNC deputy political leader Jack Warner dismissed the UNC Political Leader.

“Why doesn’t he lead by example and resign,” Warner asked as he rubbished Dookeran’s call for fresh executive elections. He said Dookeran should face the UNC electorate if he wanted legitimacy.

Saying he was next in line for suspension as UNC political leader by an executive he accused of flouting the party’s constitution, Dookeran said: “let us have fresh elections for the party to hold firm. There must be total transparency within the UNC.”

Dookeran said he learned of Griffith’s suspension after he left the Rienzi Complex’s executive meeting early, to address the Tabaquite meeting. Over 700 people packed the compound of Bobby Sawh’s residence, the crowd extending onto the roadway to hear Dookeran speak.

The meeting was organised by the UNC’s Guaracara party group 3255 and the Parforce/Bonne Aventure Community. A flyer circulated in the constituency stated that an invitation had been extended by parliamentary representative Dr Adesh Nanan.

Dookeran told the meeting that he was willing to put his own position in the party up for grabs, “to ensure we abide by principles of fairness”. The UNC’s executive has since written to Dookeran requesting an explanation, among other allegations, for holding public meetings.

Saddened by Griffith’s suspension which he learned about when the army captain walked into the meeting, Dookeran urged supporters not to tolerate abuse of power in the party. Chaguanas MP Manohar Ramsaran, senator Sadiq Baksh, Robin Montano and Roy Augustus, were the organisers. Heaping stinging criticisms on UNC’s executive, a pumped-up Dookeran said the executive had no moral authority to call for fair general elections, “if they do not practice fairness themselves.” No Cabal, Dookeran shouted, will prevent us from promoting democracy in the party. The crowd’s response was one of thunderous applause.

Saying many have underestimated his capacity to endure, the embattled UNC political leader told the crowd: “I shall keep on walking until the road ends.”