(Different times: Newspapers announce joint leadership of the UNC-Alliance in 2007)UNC Deputy leader Jack Warner convened a meeting of members of the United National Congress-Alliance (UNC-A) Saturday in his capacity as chairman of the UNC-A.
Alliance members who attended the talks at Emerald Plaza,Tunapuna included Dr Carson Charles, leader of the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), YesTT’s Steve Cadiz, Laventille for Laventillians (LFL) leader Lennox Smith, and Democratic Party of Trinidad and Tobago (DPTT) leader Steve Alvarez.
The only leader of the alliance missing was Dr Kirk Meighoo of the Democratic National Assembly (DNA), who has aligned himself with the UNC in a new unity accord.
Tabaquite MP Ramesh Maharaj attended the meeting as legal advisor.
Related: Opposition unity talks begin.
Warner said the opposition unity talks launched by Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar are a farce since there is already an alliance that was formed for the 2007 general election.
All the opposition members of Parliament were elected as members of the UNC Alliance although each is also a member of the unitary party, the UNC. Opposition leader Basdeo Panday, who is the leader of the UNC, said recently the alliance ceased to exist after the general election.
Panday recently fired Charles from the Senate and replaced the NAR leader with a former deputy leader of the Congress of the People (COP).
In announcing the appointment of Dr Sharon Gopaul-McNicol Panday said she adds her "intelligence" to the opposition Senate line-up, adding that she is "a well known social worker and a people's person."
The former prime minister said the appointment is "one more act in my struggle to unite the nation. The objective is to bring the opposition parties together."
Read the story: Panday fires Charles from Senate
Warner made it clear that Panday cannot wind up the UNC-A. “Let me make it quite clear, no one man can disband the UNC Alliance," he said, adding that one of the reasons for holding the meeting with the alliance leaders is to show Panday that "he doesn’t have that authority.”
The Chaguanas West MP said only the UNC Alliance could disband the UNC Alliance.
“This meeting is to ensure the body is reactivated, and more importantly to discuss the political situation in the country, whether you are talking about local government elections or general elections,” he said.
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