On THE 30th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARANGUEZ MANDATE

Today the United National Congress celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Aranguez Mandate. On October 16th 1988, over thirty thousand citizens stood in the rain at Aranguez Savannah and gave the Caucus of Love, Unity and Brotherhood (CLUB) 88 the mandate to establish the United National Congress.

CLUB 88 was formed in March 1988 and formed the building blocks of the new movement for good governance. The Aranguez Mandate was the culmination of months of work, by a small team led by Mr. Panday and included Dr Rampersad Parasram, (our founding chairman), the late Kelvin Ramnath and John Humphrey. Their dedication, commitment to equality and justice for everyone, their belief in democratic principles and their embrace of our diversity as a rainbow nation built the foundation on which all of us have helped construct a party of the people, for the people.

The UNC’s moorings remain steadfastly anchored in success of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Club 88 became the conscience of the people following the expulsion of Mr. Panday and his loyalists from the NAR government. Through hundreds of cottage meetings driven by the determination to listen and then lead, the building blocks of a truly national institution became a reality. And on that fateful day thousands stood in the mud in driving rain as they heard Rev. Raymond Pallackdharrysingh and Govindra Roopnarine present the Aranguez Declaration that committed Club 88 to inaugurate the United National Congress, which happened a few months later on April 30, 1989 at the National Stadium in Port of Spain.

The people who went to Aranguez needed no persuasion other that the desire to stand together to be counted as patriots and citizens who stood for a better Trinidad and Tobago. Mr. Panday called on all citizens to join what he described as a crusade. And borrowing a phrase from the late Martin Luther King jr., he predicted that people would join our movement not by the colour of their skins but by the content of their minds.

One of our founding principles was the equality of every member and the inclusion of a one-member, one-vote system in our party’s constitution. That democratic principle led to the membership making orderly transitions of leadership on three occasions in in our brief history.

Today the UNC continues to hold strong to its founding principles and we remain a people’s organisation. Our party represents a cross section of our country and its big tent policy provides political shelter for all. The UNC has provided two prime ministers of Trinidad and Tobago, both of whom led with a people’s agenda, with a commitment to social justice as a guiding principle to national development. We have continued to build our policies and agenda through meeting with all communities, as evidenced by our recently concluded nationwide budget consultations.

We remain committed to that agenda and we will rise again to the challenge of bringing hope, prosperity and good governance to our country.

Our vision remains one of inclusion, justice, equality, democracy and freedom. There is room in the UNC for everyone who believes in these principles. On this special anniversary I wish to extend to all our members, supporters and friends, especially our founding members, congratulations for building a strong party and best wishes as we prepare to regain the mantle of governance for the benefit of all our people. I urge all of us to keep believing in our party and remain committed to working in the best interest of all people. And, I promise you, as sure as the sunrise, we will rise again and continue our work to move Trinidad and Tobago forward.