UNC caucus 'fires' Ramesh Maharaj as Chief Whip

The Parliamentary caucus of the United National Congress on Wednesday passed a resolution of no confidence in Chief Whip Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, effectively removing him from the opposition front bench.

Wednesday's decision means that it is now up to the opposition leader to determine if he would act on the recommendation of the caucus and ask the Speaker of the House of Representatives to revoke Maharaj's appointment.

Panday told reporters he plans to have a meeting with Maharaj Thursday before making a final decision. He said he would invite Maharaj to that meeting, but it's unlikely that the Tabaquite MP would oblige since he has already said he won't attend.

The move against Maharaj doesn't affect his status within the party. That is a matter that a disciplinary committee will handle. Panday has said he won't intervene or influence the committee, which is to be headed by Panday's ally Orlando Nagassar.

Warner can be removed from his post under Section 16 of the UNC’s constitution while Section 21 indicates that members can be suspended or expelled from the party for any breach of discipline.

Both Maharaj and UNC Deputy Leader Jack Warner have said the decision of the caucus would not alter their resolve to continue their fight for change within the party. They plan to hold a meeting in Biche on Friday as they continue their series of information sessions to update the membership on their view of what's going on in the party.

In a media advertisement Warner said the only thing stopping the UNC from forming the government “is ourselves.” (See Warner's speech below)) He said he would give up everything he has to change the government.

No replacement for Maharaj has been announced since the matter still has to go through the formality of writing to the Speaker. But UNC sources say the most likely person for the job would be Central MP Dr Hamza Rafeeq, who has served as chief whip before.

In the latest salvo in the war of words between Maharaj and Panday, the former attorney general has said Panday misled supporters in a statement he made at a meeting in Debe Monday night.

Panday said he fired Maharaj as Attorney general in 2001 because Maharaj was using state funds to investigate cabinet colleagues without authorization from cabinet.

In a statement Tuesday Maharaj denied that. He said Panday knew that the attorney general had hired Canadian forensic investigator Bob Lindquist to probe the Piarco Airport, desalination plant and other projects.

"I handed the report to Mr Panday as prime minister and he promised to look into it. Three weeks after he said he lost the report. I made a copy and again went to see him. Weeks after he said he lost the report again and I made a second copy. Then I was fired,” Maharaj told the media.

Panday's version of events is different. He claimed that Maharaj "was using State funds without the permission of the Cabinet to hire Bob Lindquist to build files on his colleagues in the Cabinet not because he investigating any corruption...They want no discipline so they will use the party funds to build files on members. What they building files on members for… you building files on members so that you can use it to blackmail them and to terrorise them and to threaten them,” Panday charged.