Fuad: No appointed UNC leader

THE NEXT United National Congress (UNC) political leader must be democratically elected by the party’s membership and not selected by any clique within the UNC.  This was the hope expressed by Barataria/San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan who has allegedly been identified as a possible contender for the UNC’s top post, along with fellow MPs Ganga Singh and Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Khan told Newsday yesterday that the only way the UNC’s leadership question can be resolved is “through free and fair elections.” He warned that the UNC would be courting disaster if someone replaced incumbent leader Basdeo Panday by non-democratic means.

Khan explained that the process of leadership by appointment was a flawed one and would not guarantee that the next UNC leader will meet the approval of the party’s entire rank and file. He also expressed the hope that in reforming the party’s constitution, the UNC has learnt from the disastrous internal elections of June 6, 2001 and said it was clear the “one man, one vote” system was ineffective. In those elections, Panday disapproved of then AG Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj being elected UNC deputy leader because he reportedly favoured then St Joseph MP Carlos John for that post.

The subsequent rift between Maharaj and Panday caused a major spilt within the UNC and ultimately led to its removal from government. Khan added that the People’s National Movement (PNM) has learned from the UNC’s mistakes and was certain to retain the delegate voting system for its convention in October. St Augustine MP Winston Dookeran, who presented a paper on leadership at a UNC special retreat on Sunday, has been touted as Panday’s likely successor but has publicly denied having leadership ambitions. Meanwhile, Persad-Bissessar told Newsday she “has no idea” how anyone could say she was interested in the UNC’s top post. She added that she was unware that all of the UNC’s executive posts would be up for election.