Kamla in Charge

Kamla moves to unite opposition forces

Ria Taitt Political Editor
February 02 2010 – trinidadexpress.com

Kamla Persad-BissessarUNC Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has proposed the establishment of a committee to work out the modalities and framework for the holding of ‘unity’ discussions with stakeholders and political organisations opposed to the ‘maladministration of Patrick Manning’.

But Persad-Bissessar also faced questions on controversy arising out of the appointment of Jack Warner as Chief Whip. Questioned on whether the FIFA commitments of Warner would hamper his performance as Chief Whip, she said there will always be someone in the Chief Whip chair, as well someone to perform the duties of Chairman ‘whenever Mr Warner is out’. She said the party has the constitutional mechanism to allow others to act. Harry Partap is deputy Chief Whip.

Persad-Bissessar said she used the same formula for consultation which was employed in 2007 (when Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj was selected Chief Whip).

‘I was called then by the leader (Basdeo Panday) and told ‘I am considering appointing a Chief Whip, do you have any recommendations?’ And so that is the process followed in the past and that is the process I followed,’ she said.

Reiterating that Warner got the second highest number of votes among the MPs in the recent internal election, Persad-Bissessar said: ‘I will listen to the voice of the people … As to the opinion that I should allow time for wounds to heal before making such decisions, I beg to differ …The nation … is in intensive care and I cannot afford to tiptoe around people’s egos whilst decisive action is required.’

Asked whether there would be any relationship between the office of the Opposition Leader and the Political leadership of the Opposition UNC, Persad-Bissessar said ideally, there should be no disconnect. ‘There will be some areas of concern … But it would not stop the UNC from carrying out its functions,’ she said.

‘We will want to have communication with Mr Panday… We have no aversion to working alongside him.’ But she noted: ‘The people are far more powerful than single individuals and personalities. And the people want a people’s revolution and no one person or two persons will hold back that revolution.’

She added: ‘I do believe that the MPs (in whose hands the matter lies) will let good sense prevail, that they would listen to the people.’
Full Article : trinidadexpress.com

6 thoughts on “Kamla in Charge”

  1. UNC MPs ready to meet
    FORMER chairman of the UNC membership committee Kelvin Ramnath yesterday said MPs are willing to meet with Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to discuss the possibility of her appointment as Opposition Leader but added, “no one has taken a hard or fast decision as yet.”

    Ex-UNC MPs want support for new leader
    Two former United National Congress (UNC) MPs are calling on all Opposition MPs to throw their support behind the party’s new political leader, Kamla Persad-Bisssessar, for the post of Opposition Leader, given her overwhelming Political Leader victory over him in its internal elections two weeks ago.

    Ganga: Kamla in charge now
    Former opposition chief whip Ganga Singh says the appointment of Jack Warner to that post by UNC Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar last Friday, sent a message that she is ‘in charge’ of the party now.

    Kamla stirs PNM
    Last week Monday, right after Mrs Persad-Bissessar’s landslide victory the day before, Mr Manning immediately took to the road on a walkabout of Phase 1 Malabar in the PNM safe-seat of D’Abadie/O’Meara in what looked to us suspiciously like an attempt to take some of the wind out of the sails of Mrs Persad-Bissessar’s glory.

  2. A few weeks ago I suggested to Mr Panday that he gracefully steps down and allow some fresh blood to taken over the reins. He did not heed my advice, but the members of the UNC have spoken and elected a new leader in Kamla. The people have spoken and we must listen to the people. I hope there is a smooth transition of leadership and the UNC gets on with the peoples’ business.

    Politicians need to be reminded from time to time that they are elected by the will of the people, and they are put there to take care of the peoples’ business. In a democracy there will be the ruling party and the opposition who together make up the government. They represent their various constituencies and must be accountable to the people. In America we say “the Eagle must have a left wing and a right wing in order to fly.” All the best to the new leadership of the UNC

  3. KAMLA SCORES 8
    UNC leader pulls off support for Opposition Leader

    Meet Kamla Persad-Bissessar: Siparia MP, Political Leader of the United National Congress (UNC) and, according to informed sources, soon to be conferred with the title of Opposition Leader.

    Panday’s Plan Backfires
    Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday’s plan for a mass walkout of UNC MPs at a parliamentary caucus backfired on Wednesday after he sharply criticised the very MPs for their performance in Parliament, infuriating them to the point where they did not budge when he stormed out of the meeting.

    Partap to Bas: Door is open, you can leave

    Partap denies hooligan behaviour at UNC meeting
    UNC deputy Chief Whip Harry Partap yesterday denied he acted like a ‘hooligan’ at the party’s parliamentary caucus at Rienzi Complex, Couva, on Wednesday, provoking Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday to storm out of the meeting.

    Sharma: Panday’s walkout no big dea

    A memoir for Panday
    That Basdeo Panday is on his way out of politics can hardly be gainsaid, save by the inebriated, the forgetful, and persons who think Basdeo Panday is a god. But they do say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

  4. Yes I see and relish the excitement of our numerous T&T members of feminist brigade , as well as that of the 70% or more of our local Trini males that couldn’t give a darm about the state of women in our country. Hopefully Madame Karmela won’t get too excited by this outpouring of emotions and public posturing, so as to start to measure the PM’s residents drapes or decide which color to paint the billion dollar plane as yet.
    Our next leader to take us forward after catastrophes of the last two , must prove themselves in thoughts, words , deeds ,and actions.
    They instead have to be prepared to not only embrace the interest of often crooked elites corporate entities, or incompetent, narrow minded friends and close relatives . Instead they must choose to show empathy with the neglected middle ,and lower class folks at the bottom of the barrel ,unable to afford a 5000 dollar Carnival costume , and foreign escapades once the urge develops.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQcSHlX1VaA
    Sing my #1 Socrates Disciple.

  5. Hello, I think the best thing has happened for UNC new Leader
    We all need to clean up the country.All my Princes Town people
    will vote for change of government.Best of luck,walk the road to
    VICTORY.I am in Canada,but keeping close to what is happening
    home.I am from Princes Town
    GOD BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL AT RIENZI COMPLEX
    Leela

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