UNC wants help for polls

THE OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) wants nationals, at home and abroad, to supply ideas on the type of polls it should conduct.

The call was posted yesterday on the party’s United Kingdom and European website. Trinidadians and Tobagonians are being asked to vote on issues, tell the UNC how to address them and send their suggestions to info@unc.uk.net. The UNC’s website also described Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday’s Indepen-dence Day address at the Rubens in London as a success. The UNC UK Support Group said: “The event highlights the strong UNC support base in the United Kingdom and was well endorsed by all present.” Among the issues addressed by Panday were Caroni (1975) Limited, Integrity legislation, Crime and the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government’s “failure to implement laws enacted under the UNC administration.” Panday is due to return to Trinidad on September 7. Meanwhile, UNC sources disclosed that the party is currently working on a policy document entitled “Roadmap 2007” which will guide the UNC’s return to government. The document is reported to be drawing its data from several renowned political writers and deals with a series of issues including leadership of political parties. Following the UNC’s July 14 Local Government Elections defeat to the PNM, Panday reiterated his desire to retire from active politics at age 70 but said he would not abandon the UNC in mid-stream. Questions remain as to whether Panday will seek re-election in the UNC’s internal elections due to be held either in December or early 2004.