UNC

"Taken from ourP O L I T I C S section."

THE WINSTON Dookeran team has “serious, serious concerns” about “ballot-stuffing” at the proposed August 13 National Assembly. This was stated by former senator Robin Montano.

He was speaking at a news conference at which Political Leader Winston Dookeran announced new initiatives to resist the “crude and ruthless programme (by the Executive) to undermine the legitamacy of my leadership.”

Speaking at his constituency office, Dookeran said he would be seeking guidance from the rank and file during a ten-day consultation on whether he should participate in the August 13 National Assembly (and seek to have the no-confidence motion in him defeated by a majority of votes) or whether he should challenge the legitamacy of the whole process.

Starting tomorrow, the Dookeran faction will divide itself into five different teams and go to the membership of the party at 15 different locations spanning all constituencies.

“We are going to reclaim the party,” party organiser, Sadiq Baksh said, adding that the group would be starting in Siparia, the constituency of the Opposition Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Baksh said the Dookeran team would hold a regional meeting at the end of the ten-day consultation, “around July 23.”

Dookeran said it was time to take decisive action “to clean up the politics” because “this is where the evil forces reside.”

“We intend to retain the party’s democracy and restore to the political leadership the motion of public trust,” he said.

Montano said there were major concerns about the August 13, National Assembly, stretching from the legitamacy of the no-confidence motion, to the legitamacy of the Executive (having members who according to the UNC constitution ought not to be there) to the concerns about “ballot-stuffing” at the National Assembly.

He said it was too early to tell whether the team would recognise any result from the National Assembly. Dookeran said he did not see a legal solution to the problem. “I see a political solution and I am embarking on that today,” he said.

Asked whether he informed the Executive about his plans, Dookeran, who had earlier stated that he was yet to be officially informed of the no-confidence resolution passed by the Executive at its last meeting, said, “No, I have not informed the Executive. I am the Political Leader and it is my prerogative to take political decisions to save the party.”

On the question of what role he would play in the selection of UNC aldermen, mayors and chairmen of local government bodies in the light of the passage of the Municipal Corporations Amendment bill, Dookeran expressed doubt that the Opposition Leader could have the authority to select these persons over the Political Leader.

Montano added that while the leader of the Opposition could meet with whomsoever she wants, all nominations to the EBC had to be signed by the Political Leader.