The United National Congress (UNC) on Sunday called for the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Patrick Manning, stating that Manning has lost the "moral and spiritual laws" upon which he was foisted into office."He must resign now and his Government must seek a new mandate from the people," the party said at a media conference Sunday hosted by UNC Vice Chairman, Vasant Bharath, who is also the MP for St Augustine.
Bharath told reporters the party feels strongly that Manning must also immediately fire the whole UDeCOTT board. And he demanded that the finance minister explain to the nation on what authority UDeCOTT is using state funds to fight the state in court.
The opposition MP also told reporters that the UNC wants to know if Manning instructed UDeCOTT to defy the attorney general and continue its court action to halt the Uff inquiry.
He also asked why the attorney general deliberately chose to assure Parliament last Thursday that UDeCOTT will do nothing to affect the continuity of the inquiry and whether John Jeremie's statement was an attempt to mislead Parliament.
"Did the Attorney General make this public statement, knowledgeable of the fact that the Prime Minister does not want the Commission to report to the public on its findings and recommendations and chose to protect his own position by so doing?" the party asked in a prepared statement read to journalists.
"It is apparent that this PNM Government has embarked, once again, on a conspiracy to not only mask but condone a wholesale rape of the country’s Treasury," the party said, adding that "the attorney general must now prove to the citizenry beyond a shadow of doubt, that he is not part of this conspiracy, neither was he brought back to ensure the death of this inquiry."
The UNC said, "given the defiance that has been meted out to him...he must be prepared to speak the truth in the interest of preserving the integrity of the Office he holds, and he must be prepared to resign."
The party said it wants the Attorney General to immediately send to the DPP and Commissioner of Police all the evidence that has surfaced in the public sessions of the inquiry.
It also wants the DPP must ensure that action is taken against all persons and institutions accused in testimony before the Uff probe in financial impropriety as well as misconduct in public office "without fear or favour".
It said, "Not to do so will be an abdication of duty and would send a signal that criminality is being protected by the highest officers in the land."
The opposition said it will write to the Commissioner of Police to indicate to him that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a police investigation into corruption at UDeCOTT.
And the UNC said it plans to file a no-confidence motion against Manning.
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