PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Mickela Panday has challenged the PNM and UNC to publicly declare who is financing them.
Panday issued this challenge at a news conference in Couva on April 6.
She rejected UNC claims that the "PF is being funded by the PNM."
Panday declared, "That is nothing more than a desperate attempt to discourage you from voting for real change. It is a distraction. Plain and simple."
She claimed the UNC was attempting to shift attention away from its own failures "and the growing momentum of the PF."
>
Panday demanded to know "who is funding the UNC and who is funding the PNM...
"We are willing to open all of our accounts to public scrutiny."
The PF candidates, who were with Panday cheered, when she declared, "We are going to clean up government once and for all."
Panday said the population was tired of a back and forth corruption blame game between two political parties.
"One party points fingers and the other one says well you thief too."
She said, "We are not hear to thief. We are here to serve."
Panday added, "We have to put an end to 'who thief more' politics."
She said this April 28 general election was about ushering in a new era of transparency and trust.
"This election is not about red or yellow. It is not about tribe. It is about one thing. Who is ready to fix this country?"
>
She said the PF would not follow the example of others and promise things they privately knew they could not deliver if elected to office.
Panday added the PF did not know what it would find should it become the next government.
She claimed neither the PNM nor the UNC was interested in accountability or transparency.
Panday urged the population not to fall for scare tactics employed by either party.
Panday rejected the UNC's claims the PF would split votes and hand the election to the PNM.
'"Let me make it crystal clear. Nobody owns your vote."
She added that more people chose not to vote in elections than those who did.
"This is why every single vote is extremely precious."
Panday said April 28 was an opportunity for the public to demand accountability, transparency and real change from those elected to serve them.
>
She urged citizens to reject the divisive tactics, smear campaigns and legacy of inaction served in equal measure by the UNC and the PNM.
Panday reminded the population not to become distracted by what they saw on social media.
She said just because something was not social media "does not mean it is not happening."
Panday told people not to feel their votes did not matter in so-called safe seats.
"PNM seats may be safe from the UNC. UNC seats may be safe from the PNM. But none of them are safe from us."
She said young people would be the catalyst for change on April 28.
The PNM and UNC, Panday continued, are depending on certain voters staying home to ensure either of them win.
"We are depending you coming out."
Panday reminded the population the PF did not split votes in the 2015 and 2020 elections.
>
She said the PNM still won both.
The UNC, Panday continued, knows the PF "is the only party to beat the PNM."
She claimed all the UNC continued to do was "make excuses for losing."
Panday said it was beyond her that members of the UNC who had known her since she was child, "stoop so low to call me a PNM. Especially now, after my father's passing."
Panday's father, former prime minister Basdeo Panday was the UNC's founder.
He died on January 1, 2024.
The PF has 37 candidates contesting the election compared to the UNC's 34, according to information provided by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC).
Panday is contesting the Couva North constituency which her father represented from September 24, 1976-April 8, 2010.
Her opponents are UNC deputy leader Jearlean John and the PNM's Brent Maraj.
>
Also attending the conference were former UNC government ministers Subhas Panday and Dr Adesh Nanan.
