Moonan: I was not sleeping

NEW OPPOSITION senator Dr Shastri Moonan yesterday dismissed newspaper photos which suggested he was sleeping on the job during his first day in the Senate on Tuesday.

Moonan also denied reports he had only agreed to become a UNC senator if he was selected as a candidate for the Oropouche East or West constituencies in next year’s general elections.

Yesterday, two daily newspapers carried front page photos of Moonan, eyes closed, on the Opposition benches, minutes after he was sworn in, and claimed he was sleeping. Moonan said contrary to what was shown in those pictures, he was not asleep but just “resting his eyes.” Moonan explained what people saw in the photos was “a gimmick” in which he closed his eyes to increase his powers of concentration.

Asked whether he had problems with his eyesight, because he used a magnifying glass to take his oath and read documents, Moonan said he is short-sighted but can see very well once he is well rested.

Asked what were his impressions of his first day in the Senate, Moonan described it as “stultifying in an apathetic way.”

During yesterday’s tea break in Parliament, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she did not feel embarrassed about the photos because only Moonan could say if he was asleep.

She said she was not bothered because other MPs have been caught napping during sittings of Parliament, including Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Leader of Government Business Ken Valley. Meanwhile, Moonan said he was “spoken to” about the possibility of getting into electoral politics before his senatorial appointment but that was not a pre-condition for accepting the post. “I would not damnify the Constitution that way,” Moonan stated.

Newsday also approached UNC Political Leader Winston Dookeran during the tea break to ask him what he thought about Moonan and Raziah Ahmed being appointed to the Senate. “I prefer to express no views on this matter at this time,” he said.

Moonan and Ahmed were appointed as Opposition senators on Tuesday to replace Sadiq Baksh and Carolyn Seepersad Bachan who were dismissed last week for their allegiance to Dookeran.