KAMLA : NOTHING WILL KEEP ME DOWN

Both were literally and figuratively, miles apart. Speaking to supporters late last night, Persad-Bissessar said, I have fallen but nothing will keep me down.”

Doctors said that Persad-Bissessar has a broken bone in her shoulder, but she was cheerful as she left the medical facility, pointing out that she was in great pain after falling. She faces the possibility of having surgery.

“I was in extreme pain and given painkillers to stabilise the pain,” Persad-Bissessar told Sunday Newsday.

However, Panday is now being given a Wednesday deadline to vacate the post of Opposition Leader before any serious attempts are made to have him removed from that position.

Persad-Bissessar who attended UNC’s thanksgiving and celebration function at Rienzi Complex, Couva, late last night with her arm in a sling, told the crowd who warmly greeted her: “I have fallen but nothing will keep me down.” She said it was the end of the Manning regime. Her entire slate of candidates attended last night’s celebrations but Dr Roodlal Moonilal was absent.

Sunday Newsday was reliably informed that UNC Chairman Jack Warner has already secured the support of six UNC MPs including himself, in his quest to have Panday removed as Opposition Leader.

However, Warner has been advised to allow Panday up to Wednesday to do the “honourable thing” and if he fails to do so, a letter with the signatures of the seven UNC MPs indicating to him that they support Kamla Persad-Bissessar as Opposition Leader could be on the desk of President George Maxwell Richards as early as Thursday.

Warner already has the support of Harry Partap, Winston “Gypsy” Peters, Nizam Baksh and has been quietly negotiating with Dr Tim Gopeesingh, Dr Roodal Moonilal and Chandresh Sharma.

Gopeesingh, Sharma and Dr Moonilal are expected to sign the letter before the end of the week.

Sources also revealed that due to the injury suffered by Persad-Bissessar on Friday, this resulted in negotiations to have signatures affixed to a draft letter stalled.

Persad-Bissessar who slipped on a piece of carpet in Parliament on Friday, was taken to the St Clair Medical Centre by Dr Tim Gopeesingh and Subhas Panday, the brother of Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday.

She spent the night there and emerged from St Clair Medical at around 2.40 pm yesterday, accompanied by some supporters.

She told Sunday Newsday that the pain was really excruciating, but she managed a little rest on Friday night.

“I was in extreme pain, and was given painkillers to stabilise the pain, because the doctors found that I suffered a broken bone in the left shoulder.”

Persad-Bissessar said that she underwent X-rays and scans, and was told by both Dr Toby and Dr Lou Saing that she had two options in the matter, to either let the injury heal for itself or have screws inserted to speed up the healing process and put the bone back together.

Persad-Bissessar, whose husband is a doctor said that she would be seeking his opinion in the matter before making a decision.

In recalling the incident on Friday, the new UNC Leader said she received a text from the PSA executive asking if she could meet with them.

Persad-Bissessar said she contacted Clerk of the House Ms Sampson on her cellphone and sought her permission to use one of the committee rooms in Parliament to have that meeting.

She said that while on her phone speaking with Ms Sampson she made her way close to the public gallery where she slipped on a piece of carpet and fell.

She remembers picking up herself from the floor and was assisted by Education Minister Esther Le Gendre, who comforted her. Ms Sampson, the Clerk of the House also assisted.

“I want to thank both Minister Le Gendre and Ms Sampson for the support they gave me on Friday,” said Persad-Bissessar.

She added Gopeesingh and Subhas Panday also comforted her when they accompanied her to St Clair Medical.

On Friday night Persad-Bissessar was visited by members of the new UNC executive, including Deputy Political Leader Dr Suresh Rambachan, Chairman Jack Warner, employees of Opposition House and others.

Yesterday she was visited by Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma and Senator Lyndira Oudit.

UNC Chairman Jack Warner told Sunday Newsday yesterday that he spent close to one hour with Persad- Bissessar on Friday night, and they spoke about several things including what will be said to supporters when they both address them at the People’s Party.

Warner said that Persad-Bissessar and himself were scheduled to address persons attending the People’s Party which was carded for last night at the Rienzi Complex.

Yesterday Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday attended a cruise down the islands, and when asked if he would be attending the People’s Party, Panday said “right now I am on a cruise spending the day with my supporters, and it is a wonderful atmosphere.”

Persad-Bissessar headed straight to her Siparia home after being discharged from hospital and said that she would rest all of today.