Opposition begins unity talks

The United National Congress (UNC) begins a consultative process Tuesday aimed at uniting all political groups opposed to the ruling People's National Movement (PNM). Deputy Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is leading the discussions with a small UNC committee comprising Vice Chairman Vasant Bharath and General secretary Fazal Karim.

The initial meeting is with Dr Kirk Meighoo and a delegation from his Democratic National Assembly (DNA). Meighoo's party is one of the members of the UNC Alliance that was formed to fight the 2007 general election. Meighoo was the unsuccesful UNC-A candidate for Chaguanas East.

Another UNC Deputy Leader has rejected the talks as being irrelevant. Jack Warner told reporters Monday the DNA is already a member of the UNC Alliance which contested the 2007 General Election, noting that “The only party that is outside of the UNC-A is the COP. If I were Mrs Bissessar, I would not waste my time talking to people who are already there. Talk to people who are not there.”

Warner said as chairman of the UNC A leadership council, “ I am calling a meeting of the UNC A on June 20 at 5 pm with all the parties including Kirk Meighoo.”

Persad-Bissessar has said she has had a positive response from all the opposition parties, including the Congress of the People (COP), noting that COP Leader Winston Dookeran was out of the country and would be in touch on his return.

Dookeran is back in Trinidad but appears to be cool on the idea of a united opposition with the present leadership in the UNC. He told the Trinidad Guardian Monday he has received the invitation from the UNC but declined further comment. The paper reported that other COP sources have said the party will examine the request.

The UNC is in a race against time to prepare for the local government elections which are due this year. The current term of the local government bodies end next month and there is speculation that the vote would be held by October.

The government has said it would not extend the life of the municipal bodies as it did last year and the election must be held within 90 days of the end of the current term, which means the election date could be any time from August to October.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning has already put his party on an election footing, saying he is ready for the political battle.

The PNM controls 14 of the 20 municipal districts with the other six being held by the UNC. Political commentators have suggested that with the present fragmentation in the opposition the UNC would face an uphill struggle in retaining its seats.

The UNC has already screened more than 100 candidates who want to run for the party but it has not yet made a final selection. It has said incumbents are not automatically guaranteed nomination.