Basdeo Panday said Wednesday he never said Congress of the People leader Winston Dookeran is unfit to lead the country in any capacity.
Media reports Wednesday quoted Panday as making that statement shortly after the opposition leader met with Prime Minister Patrick Manning to discuss crime and constitutional reform.
Reports said Panday slammed Dookeran for claiming yesterday’s meeting was a political accommodation between Manning and himself.
Panday explained that under the Westminster system of governance, the opposition leader always responds to requests by the prime minister to discuss issues of national importance. “I have a duty to respond. I shall do my duty!” he declared.
He told reporters he would include representatives of all political parties in a national task force on crime, particularly Dookeran. The media quoted Panday as saying, "These people are not fit to lead."
Speaking on a morning radio show, Panday said his comment was taken out of context, noting that he was speaking about leadership in a specific role regarding one issue.
He said he never stated that Dookeran is not fit to lead and added that he was the one who engineered a leadership role for Dookeran in the UNC. And he said he has continued to invite the COP leader to meet with other political leaders to discuss unity.
It is Dookeran, he said, who has rejected his unity calls.
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