Panday still wants opposition unity, but won't quit politics

UNC Leader Basdeo Panday has told Express Reporter Anna Ramdass in an exclusive interview "only time will tell" in response to a question about whether MPs Jack Warner and Ramesh L. Maharaj are trying to destabilize the party.

"I ask myself the same questions. Only time will tell what are the motives behind their actions. I have my suspicions, of course, but I would rather wait; I am a very patient man," he said.

He declined comment on whether Maharaj had performed well as Opposition Chief Whip and whether there is the political base trusts Maharaj.

When asked whether he feared a second betrayal by the former Attorney General and current Tabaquite MP, Panday said, "In politics, it is better to take measures to prevent the occurence of mistakes rather than to live in fear."

Panday also clarified the party's position on Warner's call for internal elections."The party's highest organs have already taken a decision that this does not make sense. However, at the request of Mr Warner, the National Executive has decided to refer the matter to those authorities for a review of their decision...sometime during the early part of this year."

And he was emphatic that any split would be devastating to the party. He also clarified the UNC's stand on unity.

"The party has consistently advocated unity of the opposition forces. In pursuit of that goal, the party has said our members are entitled to engage in informal discussions with anyone in pursuit of unity. For my own part, I have tried on several occasions to arrange a meeting between Mr Dookeran and myself without success," Panday said.

He added that people are not stupid and they can see what is going on, and when the time comes they will take the appropriate decisions.

"Having regard to the existing political and electoral system of first-past-the-post-single member-constituency the only party that can win any seats is the party with a solid electoral base. That being the case, there will always be attempts by political aspirants to take away that political base," he said.

Asked about the possibility of a merger between the UNC and the Congress of the People (COP) Panday said the parties must have consensus and agreement "not only as to the form but also as to the rules for arriving at decisions, disputes resolution and that sort of thing."

Ramdass asked Panday whether the time has come for him to take his exit from the political stage. He was very clear that he is not going anywhere.

"For 40 years I have been struggling to improve the quality of life of the less fortunate in our society. I have had a fair amount of success. Do they want me to give up that struggle? Why?

"Then there are those who say I should ride off into the sunset and give others a chance to lead. Lead what? The UNC? The party has a mechanism for doing that.

"What is stopping those who wish to lead from doing so? If there is someone capable of leading whatever, why do they not go ahead and lead. Because I am there or I won't let them?

"If I had to let somebody lead, then that person is not the leader; I still am. You cannot lead by the permission of someone else. You can only lead with the consent of the people. You are either a leader or you are not," he said.

Ramdass asked Panday his opinion of people who criticize him as being stubborn and power hungry. His response was that what people think is none of his business and offered a philosophical assessment of the nature of man.

"A man is three things; he is what he thinks he is; he is what other people think he is; and he is what he really is. In any case, how do define "power hungry"? Did it include Eric Williams, ANR Robinson? Does it include Manning and Dookeran?"

He said he has no regrets about things he has done in the past ten years because, "Whatever I did, I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do at the time." He added, "In that sense I have no regrets. But even so, in hindsight (where everything is 2020 vision), there are many things I would have done differently had I known the future."

He said there is no "succession planning" in the UNC because "you cannot groom someone for leadership and then foist him/her on the people. Who will lead the people must be decided by the people. The Constitution of the UNC provides for exactly that. And that is why it is the most democratic political party in the Caribbean if not the Western Hemisphere."

He also described what he expects from a leader of the UNC.

"Integrity, wisdom and understanding. Courage to do the things you regard as your duty without fear of the consequences to yourself. Finding happiness in doing the things that you must and not depending on the consequences thereof for satisfaction. A leader must be fair to all regardless of race, colour or creed or gender. A leader must be fearless. A leader must be able to insulate himself/herself from the slings and arrows of their political opponents."

And what does he want for himself? "I want to be able to have the wisdom, intelligence and understanding to do my duty to the best of my ability and to be happy doing it regardless of the consequences. I am too old to turn back now."

Read the full interview with Panday