Former UNC MP wants to mediate and unite party

Former MP for San Juan/Barataria Dr Fuad Khan is offering to be a mediator in the row in the United National Congress (UNC) and unite the party.

Khan made headlines last week when he announced that he had informed Caroni East MP of discrimination at the Port of Spain General Hospital. He said he was a victim of discrimination.

Read the story: Fuad Khan backs Gopeesingh, says he's a victim

Khan returns to the Parliament Tuesday as a temporary UNC Senator and plans to speak on the Medical Amendment Bill.

Khan told the Trinidad Express he is distressed over the bickering in the UNC and wants to use his skills and experience to help end it.

"I would love to be a mediator. I have done mediation and conflict management so I would love to be a mediator with the main players," Khan told the paper.

In 2005 Khan ran into trouble with UNC leader Basdeo Panday when he supported his colleague Gillian Lucky, who walked out on the party after a disagreement with party leader, Basdeo Panday.

Lucky and Panday's brother, Subhas Panday, were members of a parliamentary privileges team that investigated a tearoom brawl involving Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma and PNM MP Dr Keith Rowley. Sharma accused Rowley of throwing a teacup at him.

Lucky refused the sign the report, claiming it was inaccurate.

She and Khan later cut ties with the UNC and continued to sit as independent MPs. Lucky later joined the Congress of the People (COP) and ran as the candidate for St Joseph and lost to the PNM's Kennedy Swaratsingh in 2007. She later quit as a COP member.

Khan told the Express he had always said he would return to the UNC once Panday called him, and he did. He got that call and the offer to be a temporary senator.