Time running out for UNC unity

Meanwhile, Barataria/San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan yesterday predicted that two things will happen at the national assembly — Panday will be unanimously returned as UNC chairman and Dookeran’s political wings will be “clipped.”

Speaking with Newsday yesterday at his San Fernando home before joining former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj’s eight-day march from Cedros to Port-of-Spain, Panday said there has been no progress in his talks with Dookeran thus far. Dookeran was unavailable for comment yesterday but his communications officer Nirad Tewarie said it was “extremely optimistic” for anyone to think that the party’s internal problems could be solved after only two meetings between Dookeran and Panday.

Tewarie declined to give any specifics on those meetings, stating that Dookeran is treating the details of those talks as confidential. Asked if the two men would meet this week ahead of Saturday’s national assembly, Tewarie said he was certain there would be a third Dookeran-Panday meeting but did not have any details as to when and where it would take place.

Meanwhile, Khan said he was not optimistic that the Dookeran-Panday unity talks would achieve anything in time for the assembly. Khan claimed that Panday and persons allied to him were employing an intricate political strategy against Dookeran by calling for the no-confidence motion against Dookeran to be suspended (pending the outcome of unity talks) and trying to fool Dookeran by “preaching unity.”

Khan said Panday would not allow Dookeran to be kicked out of the UNC since this could do irreparable harm to the party’s political prospects in next year’s general elections and seems to be adopting a strategy of “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

He claimed that apart from “ole” talk and PNM bashing, the only thing of significance that will happen at the national assembly will be the passing of a resolution for Panday to remain as UNC chairman and Panday would do so.

Khan said Panday should remain as UNC chairman because he has “been able to outfox everyone by creating the illusion of his resignation.” Former Opposition senator Sadiq Baksh said the current talks between Panday and Dookeran were making a “mockery” of what their stated purpose was. Baksh was fired from the Senate in June because of his allegiance to Dookeran. However Princes Town MP Subhas Panday remained hopeful that the talks between his older brother and Dookeran would reunite the party, allowing it to address the concerns of the people and deal with the “common enemy”, the PNM.

UNC deputy leader Jack Warner said he supported the unity talks but those talks must have a time limit.