Time to deal with leadership issue

Panday told the UNC’s Monday night’s forum at the Longdenville Presbyterian Primary School, that the issue over political leader Winston Dookeran’s leadership, must be decided by another internal party election.

Returning from a two-month extended vacation, Panday saw himself not listed as an official speaker at the meeting. He took his seat in the front row among supporters flanked by his wife Oma and daughter Mikela. He was then invited to address the large gathering, by deputy political leader Austin Jack Warner.

Panday said that the idea of a “leadership council” consisting of himself, Dookeran, Persad-Bissessar, Warner and newly re-admitted member Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, would form the “genesis” for dealing with the leadership crisis in the party.

“The desire for unity must be achieved by showing unity among ourselves. Therefore, the idea that I put forward at the mass rally we had in Mid-centre Mall, was that of a leadership council made up of people who are leaders of the party,” Panday said.

Panday told supporters that he advocated the idea, but it was rejected. He did not say to whom, but Panday thundered, “Some people feel that they must have all the offices...every office must be offered to them or there can be no unity.”

Panday added while he was committed to unification talks between the warring fractions, there were two ways by which the party could unite.

Warner, who was welcomed by placard-bearing supporters that read “Jack for Chaguanas East, UNC,” said that the time had come for further internationalisation of the Chief Justice issue. He said that trips to both the Commonwealth offices in the United Kingdom and the International Courts in the Hague, were on the party’s agenda.

While speaking to the audience, Warner whipped out his cell phone and engaged Maharaj in a telephone conversation in New York.

The former Attorney General is currently attending a protest being staged in front United Nations Headquarters on the Chief Justice issue.

Warner admitted to being the caretaker of the Chaguanas East constituency. Also addressing the meeting was Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.