NATIONAL Transformation Alliance (NTA) political leader Gary Griffith claims the UNC is in secret talks with another political party to create a coalition ahead of the next general election.
He made the claim on December 21 in response to statements by UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar that smaller political parties wishing to form a coalition with the UNC must publicly provide details of their strengths before they can be considered to be part of a UNC-led coalition.
Persad-Bissessar made these statements in a daily newspaper report on the same day.
The NTA and UNC had an alliance for last August's local government elections which ended in a 7-7 tie between the PNM and UNC.
Though the NTA won no districts in those elections, it managed to get an alderman appointed to the Diego Martin Borough Corporation. Persad-Bissessar claimed the UNC and not the NTA deserved credit for that.
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Griffith and Persad-Bissessar have been at odds since February when Persad-Bissessar said smaller parties were piggybacking on the UNC. The rift between them widened in September when Persad-Bissessar criticised Griffith's tenure as police commissioner between August 2018 and August 2021.
On December 12, Persad-Bissessar held talks with representatives of the Movement for National Development (MND), Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP), Congress of the People (COP), Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU), Public Services Association and other groups about creating a coalition of interests.
The NTA, COP and HOPE ( Honesty Opportunity Empowerment Performance) have been engaged in coalition talks before December 12.
Neither group has formalised a coalition to date.
In a statement, Griffith said, "The NTA expresses disappointment with Kamla Persad-Bissessar's position on an alliance with the NTA, but affirms it will not be used as a political pawn, as information received suggests secret UNC meetings offering a safe seat to another party's representative in exchange for a manufactured coalition."
He added that this would be done "on the condition that they will allow that party to join the UNC and come under the umbrella of the UNC in the hope of fooling voters that there is some type of alliance."
Griffith did not reveal the name of this party.
On December 20, Griffith and HOPE leader Timothy Hamel-Smith said a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) had been created for parties wishing to join an NTA/COP/HOPE coalition.
Griffith said this MOU will ensure all members of this coalition are treated equally unlike the 2010 Fyzabad Accord, which created the UNC-led People's Partnership (PP) coalition, where the UNC used the 21 seats it won in the May 24, 2010 coalition to sideline its coalition partners and create a UNC-dominated government.
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The other members of the PP were the COP, Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) and National Joint Action Committee (NJAC).
Griffith said, "With the NTA having already signed an MOU with another political party, it is interesting that one of the political leaders already stated that there is no agreement made with either the NTA, HOPE, UNC, and other organisations such as the unions, even though the MOU was actually signed and confirmed by his predecessor."
He added it was also interesting "that his very first comment was not to build his own party but it was to openly praise Kamla, which is indeed extravagant news."
Griffith did not provide this person's name.
"In addition, the NTA does not need to prove its 'worthiness' to the UNC. Mrs Persad-Bissessar’s previous eagerness for NTA support during the local elections exposes this hypocrisy even further, especially in key constituencies like Sangre Grande and San Fernando."
Griffith rejected Persad-Bissessar's claims that the NTA did poorly in the local government elections and "used the UNC’s strength and resources."
He said many UNC members privately agree alliances are necessary but will not say so publicly for "fear Mrs Persad-Bissessar’s retribution."
Griffith added, "The NTA holds her solely responsible for the lack of a unified opposition. Her tactics and false claims prevent genuine collaboration."
On December 19, former COP leader Prakash Ramadhar was appointed the party's interim leader after the resignation of its previous interim leader Kirt Sinnette.
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Sinnette attended the December 12 talks with Persad-Bissessar and said the COP was willing to join the coalition she was proposing.
COP chairman Lonsdale Williams subsequently said the party made no such commitment.
In an interview on December 21, Ramadhar said the COP will focus on strengthening itself first before joining any coalition.
When asked about Griffith's comments about Persad-Bissessar creating a cosmetic coalition so the UNC could get back into office, Ramadhar said everyone is entitled to their views.
But he added, "You cannot work or expect to go into a relationship with anyone with accusations as your plot line."
