Ramesh takes off the gloves as UNC rift widens

As the United National Congress (UNC) prepares to launch its Monday Night Forum (MNF) in the Tabaquite constituency Monday night there are rumblings from the MP for the constituency, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, that could affect unity in the party. Ironically, the theme of the MNF for 2009 is unity.

There's already controversy over the list of speakers for Monday's meeting. Maharaj is not listed to speak, although he told the media that his name was scratched from the list. He explained that he told the party that he would be late because he had to attend the funeral of his brother-in-law. But party officials say that's not an accurate statement. They say Maharaj was not sure if he could attend and that's why his name was not on the list.

In the wake of mounting tensions Maharaj has written to the party's political leader, Basdeo Panday, asking for internal elections. The letter, which has been copied to all UNC-A members of Parliament and the party's national executive, also calls on Panday to settle the question of leadership. He said that's the only way the UNC could return to government.

He also touched on another sensitive issue, telling Panday a that he should concentrate on the issues affecting the country, rather than looking at “indiscipline and the front bench and back bench.”

Those two issues threaten to widen an already existing rift in the party.

The matter of internal election was first raised by Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner, who suggested that it was necessary to get the election out of the way and move on with confronting the government. But Warner never asked Panday to resign or step aside.

That is an issue Panday has already put to rest, saying he's not giving up the struggle he has led for decades, adding that the UNC has a mechanism for anyone willing to contest the leadership.

In an interview over the weekend Panday reiterated his position that the executive had taken a decision to postpone the election until after the local government election. However he said based Warner's request he has asked that the matter be revisited and made it clear that the party, not the leader, would make a decision on the matter.

The other issue of discipline and where MPs sit is still unresolved. Panday first raised it last week at the party's caucus. He said he was bothered about the absenteeism by MPs and had requested a report from the clerk of the House of Representatives before making any recommendations.

But he said it was not right for the front benches to remain empty when Parliament was sitting, adding that the party needed to be stricter with its discipline.

Warner, who took the reference to absenteeism personally, supplied Panday with a copy of the Parliament's record of attendance showing that he was the one who was absent most - for 18 of the 48 sittings. Maharaj missed 10 sitting and Panday's daughter, Mikela, was also absent for 10.

Warner suggested that it was a red herring and told reporters he would sit wherever the leader puts him because in his opinion proper representation was better than where one sits. He challenged his parliamentary colleagues to demonstrate that they have performed better than him in representing constituents.

When Parliament returned Friday for the start of its second session, both Warner and Maharaj sat with Panday on the opposition front bench but they did not speak with Panday during the sitting.

Maharaj's letter mentioned events at the last caucus saying Panday made statements that seemed to cast "unfavourable reflection and even aspersions on the competence and/or efficiency" in how Maharaj discharged his functions as chief whip during the first session of Parliament.

He found it strange since during the session Panday did not express any concerns about his work.

He also spoke of another meeting. “I wish to remind you that in the month of November 2008, a special caucus meeting was held by me for members to express views on the management of the House of Representatives,” Maharaj wrote.

“This special caucus meeting was fixed by me after two members expressed views which reflected negatively on my efficiency in managing the Parliament. You were present during this special caucus meeting and you witnessed the contributions made by these two members.

“You would have also witnessed that there was a general consensus among the other members that there was no basis for the allegations made by the two members.” Maharaj said it was clear that the Opposition performed "competently and effectively" during the first session of Parliament.

The Tabaquite MP's letter told Panday, “At none of those meetings you expressed any concerns about the absence from Parliament by members...The question therefore is that why all of a sudden public reflections on the competence of members are being made by you, as a major party political event.

“Mr Panday, I humbly request, that you consider the major issues facing the country, the height which the Opposition reached over the last year in Parliament, the daily suffering of our people in respect of crime, poverty, pension, dengue, inadequate health services, traffic congestion, bad roads, poor drainage, so many other deprivations of the people, challenges to the well-being of the citizens of our country and the great opportunity the party has to win a general election.

“This can only be achieved if you take steps to listen to the cries of the membership and the views of the population in order to place the party in a position that it will be the vehicle to truly unite the country against the PNM.

“It is time that the membership deals with the issue of continued leadership and eventual succession in the party. The Opposition cannot win a general election unless leadership issues are settled by the membership.

“In order to do so, an internal election of the party will be the natural medium through which the issue of legitimacy of the leadership and of the executive can be achieved.

“You, as leader, have a duty to ensure that such elections are held and that the election process is open, transparent and fair.

“In this way, the party membership and the public would have confidence that the leader and the executive elected enjoy the confidence of the majority of the voters", Maharaj concluded.