UNC CROSSOVER

And for his political transgression, Juteram, a Sangre Grande businessman, has been expelled from the PNM with immediate effect, the ruling party’s chairman Franklin Khan announced yesterday.

The COP executive could not be reached for comment yesterday, even as Raghunanan put on his yellow shirt, setting aside the COP’s white dress code, to attend the UNC’s National Congress for local government candidates at the Couva South Constituency office at Campden Road, Couva.

In a statement to the media, Khan said Juteram, who is contesting the Vega De Oropouche electoral district on a UNC, had joined the PNM on June 6, 2007, and was a party member “of good standing.” “Our records indicate that he is still a PNM member,” he told reporters at a news conference following the party’s general council meeting at Balisier House in Portof- Spain.

“But his good standing expired when he accepted a nomination from the UNC.” Khan, who presented copies of Juteram’s membership form to reporters, said the PNM’s constitution was clear on such matters: automatic expulsion.

His expulsion came almost one year after another former PNM member Rushton Paray, now the UNC’s Mayaro MP, was also sent packing by the party. Paray, records had shown, joined the PNM on October 8, 2008.

Juteram, who once served as a temporary UNC senator, raised eyebrows in May 2007, when he appeared on a PNM platform at the party’s Sports and Family Day at the Eddie Hart Savannah, Tacarigua.

Endorsed by late Prime Minister and PNM political leader Patrick Manning, Juteram said then he was “tired and ashamed” of belonging to a political party (UNC) where people were fighting each other “like crabs in a barrel” and not putting the interests of the country first. Juteram, who unsuccessfully contested the Toco/Manzanilla seat twice for the UNC in 2001 and 2002, said then that he had been silently observing the behaviour of all the country’s political parties and was convinced that the PNM was the one which had Trinidad and Tobago’s best interests at heart.

Juteram could not be reached for comment yesterday.

And in the COP camp, Raghunanan has been representing the party, a former ally in the UNC-led People’s Partnership administration in the last electoral term, on the San Fernando City Council has switched his allegiance.

Raghunanan was among several successful candidates presented by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar at yesterday’s National Congress.

He has been a long serving member of the COP and is the only incumbent opposition council member in the SFCC representing Les Effort West/La Romaine.

In a brief interview with Sunday Newsday, Raghunanan said he decided to cross over to UNC as he was unsure whether or not COP was contesting the local elections.

He said he made his decision one week ago. UNC candidates were presented for all 14 constituencies.

In her address, Persad-Bissessar, yesterday urged party faithful not to break ranks because some of them were not chosen to contest seats in the upcoming local elections.

The UNC political leader apologised to the unsuccessful candidates.

She said: “To those of you who still feel hurt, I ask you to please put aside that personal hurt.

In my over 30 years in politics, I have had to put aside many personal disappointments, for the better good of the party. Do not hate us for the choice we made but work with us to take our great party to victory.” She said the screening committee’s choices were made in good faith with a good heart for all UNC colleagues.

“I stand in great hope that we would remain united because that is the problem we face from time to time because we end up trying to fight down each other rather than holding hands,” the former prime minister said. “Can we do that this time?” she asked as she reminded them that a house divided could never stand.

And taking her flag waving supporters by surprise Persad-Bissessar called for “peace and love now” telling them to stand and give a hug to the person seated, “next to you”.

“Stand now,” she said “shake hands, bring peace and love. Let there be peace and love.”