DOOKERAN CAMP SEES TOBAGO WIN

One source explained why the Dookeran camp was so confident about Tobago.

“I am sure Tobagonians will remember that when the United Labour Front (ULF) split, Dookeran was the only high profile Indian who stayed with Arthur N Robinson. Even when the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) split, and Club 88 was formed, Dookeran remained with Robinson. This will add to his credibility in Tobago,” the source added.

Dookeran and a group of supporters visited the sister isle on Monday and held a private meeting in Plymouth with a small gathering, which included former Tobago House of Assembly leader, Max James, Cecil Caruth, former NAR member, and Dr Winston Murray, a former Democratic Action Congress (DAC) MP.

James is listed as one of the speakers at Dookeran’s Congress of the People on Sunday at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya.

The source insisted that Sunday’s event was “not the launch of anything” but simply an attempt to get a mandate from the people. On Monday, Dookeran reportedly met with leaders of Tobago organisations who said they were “representing the ground,” among whom there was great disenchantment.

According to the source, activists in Tobago are planning a forum to be held at Market Square and they want Dookeran to attend.

He said Dookeran activists are busy mobilising support in the island and already there are several groups. “We have an island council there that is working to get the number of groups expanded,” he added.

“While the number of our supporters is not in the thousands as yet, but in the hundreds, it has grown considerably,” the source added.

The Dookeran camp has dismissed what was seen as the launch of an offensive against the estranged leader by the Kamla Persad-Bissessar faction of the UNC at a Couva meeting on Monday night.

Party organiser for Dookeran, Sadiq Baksh, said, “I could understand the cabal’s desperation. They have realised that they are left with only a party’s name and symbol.

“All of their members are now supporting Dookeran. They are now into personality bashing and are on a mission to convince TT that Dookeran is wily, sly and conniving.”