Kamla: I can ‘trounce’ Bas again

On Wednesday, Panday indicated he “may” contest a seat for the upcoming election, indicating that he would like to try for Siparia, which was currently held by the Prime Minister, or his former seat, Couva North.

“It is wonderful to see Mr Panday very much alive and eager to get back into fray. I have no problem, it is a democracy; put your nomination in and we’ll take it from there. I am sure I will trounce him the same way I did last time, I have no doubt about that. But, it is great to see him alive and kicking and still very politically involved,” Persad-Bissessar said.

Asked how she felt after five years after her Government has been in power, the Prime Minister said, “I feel very vindicated in terms of our governance, in terms of the promises we made and the conversations we had, the policies, projects, and delivery five years later.

“We are standing very tall. Over the last two years there were many projects coming on stream. I feel very good, very happy that we were able to carry out 90 percent of the promises that we made.”

Chairman of the United National Congress (UNC) Khadijah Ameen yesterday assured Panday will be treated fairly by the screening committee if he becomes a nominee to contest a seat for the party he founded.

On Wednesday, Panday said someone sent him nomination forms, but even if he decides to seek nomination he felt he will not be selected as a candidate. Ameen disputed Panday’s contention that the screening committee would prove biased with regards to his selection. Ameen stopped by the UNC headquarters, Rienzi Complex, Couva yesterday during yet another nomination day for the party.

She said the party has a wide variety of individuals seeking nomination, and they all enjoy equal treatment.

“I am sure once he (Panday) fills the form and returns it before the deadline, he will be treated as we treat all our nominees. And all of our nominees will be given dates and times for screening. We have peoplewho have different calibre, people from all walks of life who have asked to be nominated, even in the last election. And all of them were treated fairly, I’m sure that will continue in the upcoming screening process,” she said.

Panday, contacted yesterday for a response to Ameen, said, “Someone who had been to my office went into the UNC office and asked for a nomination form. I didn’t go to the office. There’s no question of treating me fairly. I had no contact with them.”

Regarding herself, Ameen said she will not seek to be a candidate as her priority is fulfilling her role as UNC chairman. “ I think as chairman of the party, my duty, of course, is to ensure that we work with the secretariat to ensure that we have a smooth nomination process to ensure that we have a wide field to choose from, in terms of candidates. I personally look forward to seeing some strong women and young people contest or become candidates when that time reaches.

“It’s about having a good team to form the next government under the leadership of Kamla Persad-Bissessar. I do have a lot of persons approaching me and asking me about the nomination process, in terms of when and how they can collect forms and so on in my capacity as chairman of the party, I will continue operating in that capacity.”

According to Ameen, the party has given out, so far, just over 150 nomination forms. She also said, “a number of sitting MPs have applied.” However, she could not reveal those names, saying “it would be inappropriate at this time.”