THUGGERY

At a press conference, after the walkout, the UNC accused the PNM of engaging in ‘thuggery’ to wrest control of the corporation which is deadlocked with equal numbers of PNM and UNC councillors and aldermen. (See story below) The walkout led to fresh uncertainty over the who has control of the corporation as the UNC hinted at the possibility of legal action against the PNM. As UNC members voiced objection to Rondon chairing of the process, he angrily waved a document entitled ‘Answers to possible Questions’, saying he had every right to take charge of proceedings and to use a casting vote to break a tie and so ensure his own continuation in office as chairman.

The UNC team’s walk-out was spurred by UNC Senator Gerald Ramdeen who was sitting in the audience and who rose and loudly declared, “Guys, we are not taking part in this. Let’s go!” He was joined in the walkout of UNC councillors and aldermen by Cumuto/ Manzanilla MP Christine Newallo-Hosein.

The PNM was ‘lawyered up’ as the party’s attorney Michael Quamina sat in the audience.

Nearby, Government heavyweight ministers Finance Minister Colm Imbert, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein and others sat and took in the proceedings. The ceremony began with Rondon’s honeyed words of peace and love, but ended with him loudly berating the UNC members of council as they walked out, borrowing from Minister Imbert’s utterances of “come inside”, in the House of Representatives to UNC MPs during a similar walkout earlier in the week.

Earlier, on the agenda was for the eighth elected councillor, the PNM’s Elizabeth Wharton, to be sworn in, followed by two appointed aldermen for the PNM (Cuthbert Pierre and Daneille Marshall-Piper) and two UNC aldermen (Sookdeo Bidaisee and Videsh Ramsingh).

With all council members sworn in, it was then time to elect a chairman and then a vice-chairman. However, UNC Councillor Nirmal Singh rose on a point of order to object to Rondon’s continued chairmanship of proceedings.

Rondon lost his cool, shouting, “I am the chairman here! I beg of all of you. Let’s do it right!” UNC Councillor Kennrick Suepaul rose on a point of order to also object to Rondon’s chairmanship, saying, “I”ll not sit in this council! Show me which part of the Act you are entitled to proceed”.

Rondon replied by waving the ‘Answers to possible Questions’ document and citing Section 15(2) of the Municipal Corporation Act, adding, “Let’s do it right!” UNC Councillor Kenwin Phillip asked for an adjournment of the sitting, to let him seek legal counsel, but PNM members laughed loudly at this. Rondon chided, “We’ll spin while the people suffer.

Let’s not play. This is serious business.” Rondon invited nominations for a presiding officer of the proceedings to elect a corporation chairman.

The PNM nominated Alderman Cuthbert Pierre while the UNC nominated Councillor Nirmal Singh. When votes were tallied for each nominee the result was a tie. Rondon then declared that he was going to use a purported second vote or casting vote to break the tie, in the PNM’s favour.

Ramdeen in the audience shot up: “It has no second vote!” He then led a mass walkout of UNC members of the council saying, “Guys, we are not taking part in this. Let’s go!” An angry Rondon slammed the UNC and Ramdeen. “You are not to disrespect my meeting! You be careful! You could imagine putting these people into power? They can’t stand up to the truth!” In the absence of UNC members of council, proceedings continued, at which those present agreed to the election of Rondon as chairman and councillor Simone Gill as vice chairman.