Vasant: I’m backing Khadijah
TRADE Minister Vasant Bharath on Thursday threw his support behind Khadijah Ameen, the UNC’s candidate for the Chaguanas West bye-election, at a cottage meeting at the La Paille Community Centre.
This despite the fact that Bharath was once tipped to be selected by the UNC as the candidate for the July 29 election.
Bharath said he has nothing personal against former Chaguanas West MP, UNC chairman and Government Minister Jack Warner, whom Bharath said he had once urged back into the UNC after Warner’s falling out with UNC founder Basdeo Panday. Yet justifying his opposition to Warner’s candidacy now, Bharath said, “No one man can hold this party to ransom.”
He told constituents that their parents had long had a dream to get into Government and they must not now throw that away. Bharath recalled the sacrifices made by persons such as his father Dr John Bharath, a DLP MP who contested an election against Bhadase Sagan Maraj, where Dr Bharath’s car driven by Vasant’s uncle at the Caroni Bridge, was shot at.
Bharath recalled the internal squabbles that led to the end of the 1986 NAR Government and the 2000 UNC Government, lamenting, “Each time that happened, the PNM got back into office. Those splinter parties got enough votes to spoil it for your Government.”
I understand Mr Warner – he was my teacher in 1974! Today, I understand his fight which I think can, and ought to be fought by using the organs of the party.
I did not support Dookeran in 2006 when he had his differences with Mr Panday and for the same reason now – I will not leave the UNC for Warner!
If something is wrong with the party functioning – we must change it while we are members of the party!
The more we fragment – the more likely the PNM will see themselves of taking back government.
We must however discuss Mr Warner’s dis-satisfaction with the Hierachy in the party with great urgency.
Edison Hoolasie
Tunapuna
I do not know much about the Dr Eric Williams and Mr. Bhadase Sagan Maraj era. My understanding is that the NAR fell apart because of the perception/reality of unequal treatment of one section of the Alliance. What I am certain about is that the UNC collapsed in 2000 because of the failure of its leadership to address corruption, which as we now know was not perception but reality. Only the politically ill-informed (illiterate) would blame Mr. Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj for the demise of the UNC government. Had the leadership listened to him the UNC would most likely have been in government from 1995 until today.
What did the UNC do to Mr. Maharaj that resulted in him forming Team Unity? What happened in the UNC that forced Mr. Dookeran to leave and form the UNC? I am sure everyone knows the answers but how many of the sheeplike followers would admit it.
What is happening in the PP with the disgruntled MSJ, COP, Members of Parliament, Councillors jumping ship and in Chaguanas West could very well see the NAR imbroglio and the 2000 UNC senarios repeating themselves and the people would have another round of musical chairs -PNM>NAR>PNM>UNC>PNM>PP then??????? IPL????. T&T burns while the politicians fiddle with the population’s minds.
Mr. Edison Hoolasie, hope you read my comments and respond.