News
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh turn a pot at the United National Congress’s 35th anniversary South Regional Curry Duck Face-off and Family Day at South Ranch, Mohess Road, Debe, on May 4. – YVONNE WEBB
OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar drew battle lines on May 4, warning “the political enemies of our great party and our country,” that the writing is on the wall for them.
But political activist Victor Roberts, one of the “dissidents” challenging her leadership and desire to hold on to power, advised her to take her own counsel.
In response to her statement that, “We were formed by a small group of political outcasts in the muddy, rain-soaked field of Aranguez Savannah in 1988,” Roberts declared, “history is repeating itself.”
Roberts spoke to the Newsday at the United National Congress’s (UNC) 35th anniversary South Regional Curry Duck Face-off and Family Day at South Ranch, Mohess Road, Debe.
Five Opposition MP’s have publicly called on their leader to bow out gracefully and call internal elections which they aim to challenge. The five are, Dinesh Rambally, Rushton Paray, Anita Haynes-Alleyne, Rodney Charles and Dr Rai Ragbir.
Persad-Bissessar did not identify the “political enemies’ by name, but the warning was preceded by a hint that internal elections will be called when it is due, and her team will win again.
Submitting the adage that “time longer than twine” and “who don’t hear will feel,” Persad-Bissessar, urged loyalists, “To never believe those ongoing, malicious lies you see being spewed daily about me postponing elections.”
“Anyone saying that stands guilty of vicious, self-serving lies and malicious propaganda. Those lies spewed by those whose only aim is to destroy our beautiful UNC family and our great UNC party.
“Never believe them and never trust them,” she advised the large gathering who joined in the celebration which started two weeks ago with an inter-faith service and awards ceremony for the founders.
The five dissident MP’s were notably absent at the soiree which was set up under tents according to constituencies. The first tent Persad-Bissessar visited was Mayaro, where she greeted constituents dressed in pink T-shirts.
She did not enter the tent under which Roberts and a group of men from the La Brea constituency stood.
Persad-Bissessar noted that over the years there have been a total of 167 political parties, but only two have survived – The People’s National Movement (PNM) and the UNC.
She stated that the party, which the late Basdeo Panday founded, has done so on the great tenets of love, loyalty, unity, diversity, integrity honour, respect and discipline.
Demonstrating the resilience of her party, she noted, “In the past 35 years of ups and downs, trials, tribulations and triumphs, it was the love and loyalty of our great UNC family that sustained us and still sustains us when the times are hard.
“We built a powerful political force to combat and withstand the destruction and corruption of the PNM.
“We have, time and again, stood up and defeated the PNM and we will beat them again when the election bells ring,” Persad-Bissessar asserted although she has failed to secure any notable political victories since 2010.
Two by elections for local government seats in Lengua/Indian Walk in the constituency of Moruga/Tableland and for Quinam/Morne Diablo in her Siparia constituency are due and Persad-Bissessar boasted, “We will win both.”
