Nagessar pledges to be fair in UNC disciplinary hearing

Orlando Nagessar has told the Trinidad Express he has no intention of stepping down as a member of the disciplinary committee that will hear charges against United National Congress (UNC) MPs Ramesh L. Maharaj and Winston "Gypsy" Peters.

Questions have been raised about whether Nagassar, who is deputy mayor of Chaguanas and a close ally of UNC leader Basdeo Panday, would be objective and fair in dealing with the matter.

On Thursday he hosted Panday at his Chaguanas office during a visit to the Chaguanas West constituency, which Panday says has been deserted by its elected parliamentary member, Jack Warner.

Warner accused both Nagessar and Panday of trying to make the new mayor "uncomfortable" and said he would deal with them next Friday when he opens a private office in Panday's Couva North constituency.

In an interview with the Express Nagessar said he is mature enough to distinguish right from wrong, and "that is the principle on which this committee is based, to look at facts and decide what is right and wrong."

Nagessar is one of the 12 members of the disciplinary committee, which is chaired by Rabindranath Dookie.

The party's National Congress appointed the committee in March and so far members have held only one meeting.

On the matter of his relationship with Natasha Navas, the new mayor of Chaguanas, Nagessar said he has never been disrespectful to her.

"I have never attacked Navas. I was the first to welcome her. In fact, the first time I met her, I told her my daughter is as old as she is, and I never disrespected my daughter," said Nagessar.

He claimed that it is Navas who has disrespected him. "She has never invited me to her office for anything. That is a great disrespect," he said. In spite of that he said his duty is to serve the people, and he won't let internal issues cloud his vision.

"My mantra is malice towards none, love towards all,'' he told the paper.

Nagessar stressed that he wants the internal battle in the UNC to an end. He said the infighting in the UNC is making the People's National Movement stronger.