The People's National Movement (PNM) is upset with some of its councillors who defied a party order to support the status quo in the Rio Claro/Mayaro Regional Corporation and elect the United National Congress (UNC) nominee as chairman.Jack Warner spoke about that matter Thursday at the inauguration of the new mayor of Chaguanas pointing out that while the UNC was accusing him of sleeping with the PNM it was UNC leader Basdeo Panday who was doing it.
He gave details of the alleged Panday deal with the PNM, which he said was intended to spite the MP for the area, his friend and political ally, Winston "Gypsy" Peters.
He told the gathering in Chagunas that despite a directive from their party, PNM councillors find the idea of voting for the UNC repugnant and would abstain, which is exactly what happened Friday.
The Rio Claro/Mayaro Corporation has an equal number of UNC and PNM councillors. In the past and again on Friday both sides agreed that they would get a tie-breaking vote to elect a chairman by putting two names in a bowl and asking a member of the public to pull one.
The PNM instructed its councillors not to put a name in the bowl, making it a no-contest for the UNC side. But the PNM members didn't toe the party line and nominated the controversial Dansam Dhansook to oppose the UNC's Gangaram Ramlogan.
In the end, Ramlogan's name was pulled and the UNC prevailed. Ramlogan's tie-breaking vote allowed the UNC to elect Ramlochan Panchoo as chairman with four votes. The PNM abstained.
The UNC claimed that the PNM councillors refusal to do as instructed by their party was proof that the party didn't make any deal. "Tell Jack Warner we eh make no deal," UNC MP Subhas Panday shouted.
Not to be outdone, Dhansook contradicted Panday. "You always all over the place begging the PNM for support," Dhansook shouted back to Panday.
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