Dookeran: COP will defy the hurdles

He was addressing the COP’s final rally, “Time for Change”, yesterday at Woodford Square, amid a raptuous welcome from thousands of flag-waving supporters. “I declare we shall win the election in Trinidad and Tobago”, he said.

When he said he was now reporting for duty as Prime Minister, the crowd erupted in a wild and spontaneous cheer, “Dookeran! Dookeran!”

He had begun on a sombre note to lament the hundreds of victims of violent crime occurring under this administration, highlighting the recent assault on COP candidate for Laventille West, David St Clair.

Dookeran recalled St Clair’s act of defying thugs, who had demanded $10,000 in protection money to let him campaign but who was beaten so savagely that he now lies in a bed recovering.

“David St Clair is a man of character and courage. He is a quiet hero. David refused to bend to extortion.” The crowd loudly cheered for St Clair.

Blaming the Government, Dookeran said: “That is how it is done in ‘PNM country’.” He urged people to show their love for St Clair. “Let us win this election for David. Let us bring home Laventille West to our brother David.”

COP members distributed a poster in tribute which read, “Laventille West says ‘we are sorry, David’. Vote David St Clair. Laventille must rise.”

Dookeran hit Prime Minister Patrick Manning for saying election violence was a feud between opposition parties, when Manning has a responsibility to ensure a crime-free election.

Another grouse of Dookeran’s was the Government’s “brazen use of public funds in advertising electioneering”. He said persons plundering the Treasury for election advertising were unfit to hold office.

He said that a million dollars per day spent by the ruling regime in advertising would not stop the COP which has won the hearts of people.

“I trust the Caricom observers group is monitoring how the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is subverting fairness and freedom in the electoral process, and abuse of the use of public funds for this advertising binge.”

In his address Dookeran pledged to “reveal to the nation and consign to the shredding machine, all versions of the Patrick Manning constitution”. Any new constitution, said Dookeran, would be decided by the people at a conference he would convene.

Hitting the UNC A, Dookeran said they were using a spurious Nacta poll as a tool to promote confusion and to feed falsehood and deception.

He told people not to vote UNC A because of its internal power-struggle.

“One leader is addicted to power, the other is bent on buying power, yet another is ready to grab power, and a fourth leader — a woman — is waiting in the wings for someone to loan her power”, he said.

Regarding policy, Dookeran vowed to consider removing VAT from household water bills, further to already promising a similar measure for electricity bills. He promised to help the vulnerable, by establishing a Commission on Poverty to ensure each household can access $3,000 per month income.

A COP government, he said, would improve CEPEP, introduce a $2,000 universal pension plan, help squatters, and allow cane-farmers to share ownership in the Ste Madeleine Sugar Factory in a re-energised industry based on creating paper products. He vowed to introduce a $15 per hour minimum wage, to settle all labour negotiations by December 10, to enforce OSHA and to update all labour laws. “We shall restore free collective bargaining in the Public Service, and in the public sector generally.”

COP candidate for Tabaquite, Anand Ramlogan, gave listeners five reasons not to vote UNC A. He said the UNC A was fighting only to win Opposition (not Government), had fault-lines in its leadership council which included the vaulting ambition of his rival Ramesh Maharaj, had UNC leader Basdeo Panday under a cloud of corruption including court cases which if successful would constitutionally disqualify him from serving in Parliament, involved Mrs Panday who said she had received $1.2 million without telling her husband, and had leaders who did not hold the people’s trust. “Who in their right minds would trust Ramesh, Jack and Panday with $200 billion?” asked Ramlogan.