THE PEOPLE'S National Movement (PNM) is the legitimate government of Trinidad and Tobago, and the United National Congress (UNC) has no choice but to accept that fact, says South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Commerce president Wayne Moze.

Commenting on Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday's decision to conduct a "cabinet" meeting at Rienzi Complex yesterday, Moze observed that this was in keeping with the conduct of parliamentary oppositions worldwide to act as a check and balance against their respective governments.
However Moze disagreed that the UNC can now claim that they are still the government.

"That is not an option. A Prime Minister and a Cabinet will appointed. That is the Government," he said. The Chamber president stated that if the UNC feels disgruntled with the present state of affairs, they were "free to call for an early return to the polls".

He reiterated that the limited agreement reached between the PNM and the UNC in order to break the 18-18 electoral deadlock, calls for fresh elections within one year after the necessary reforms were undertaken. In a previous interview with Newsday, Moze suggested that both parties should return to the negotiating table to discuss the issues and refrain from using the political platform.

The Chamber president added that while some may argue that certain appointments to Prime Minister Patrick Manning's Cabinet "do not reflect the reality of the situation" in Trinidad and Tobago, the appointment of persons to serve within the Government remain within the realm of the Prime Minister's prerogative.