Dookeran planning meeting with Panday

Congress of the People (COP) leader Winston Dookeran has received a letter from the leader of the United National Congress (UNC) and has said he is planning to arrange a mutually convenient meeting to discuss his party's People’s Charter document with the UNC.

UNC leader Basdeo Panday complained publicly earlier in the week that he had written Dookeran on the matter and was waiting for a response.

Panday has said he is willing to work with the COP toward creating a united opposition front.

A meeting between COP and the UNC to discuss the charter was aborted last week after the UNC objected to criticisms that Dookeran made about the talks Panday held with Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

Dookeran accused Panday of making a deal for a “Manday” constitution.

Subsequent to that UNC Deputy Kamla Persad-Bissessar called off her planned appearance at a COP rally last weekend due to COP’s remarks. The COP rally was a part of its campaign against the new property tax legislation which the government plans to introduce in the House of Representatives on Friday.

Although the UNC was not involved in the COP-led campaign, Panday met on Monday with some stakeholders and COP’s Stephen Kangal and called for “more unified and strengthened efforts” against the property tax.

Panday said differences between then two parties should not prevent them from working together against the tax.