Panday not worried about PNM targeting UNC constitutencies

Opposition leader Basdeo Panday told the Newsday newspaper in an interview that he is not worried that the People’s National Movement (PNM) is targeting the 15 constituencies held by members of the United National Congress (UNC).

"I don’t think they stand much of a chance in their own constituencies. I think there is a great amount of disillusionment with the PNM," Panday said adding that the Manning administration "incompetent, cruel and callous".

Panday was reacting to the PNM's call to its members to prepare for an election and to focus on the opposition constituencies. PNM leader Patrick Manning also told his party that they must work together to win and anyone who can't do that would be replaced.

Neither Manning nor party chairman Conrad Enill gave any signal that a general election is imminent but Manning has been campaigning heavily over the past several months and there is a feeling among political observers that a general election will come before the local election in 2010.

Panday told Newsday the UNC is in a campaign mode and that's going well, citing the resumption of its Monday Night meetings in various constituencies which highlight problems affecting the country.

"Members of the public could not on their own fix roads, clear waterways, improve public hospitals, deal with crime, but they could remove the PNM government," he said.

Panday's comments come on the eve of a meeting with the prime minister at Manning's request. The meeting is to discuss constitutional reform and "national issues".

Both men have been talking publicly about constitutional reform but they disagree on what should be in a new constitution. One issue Panday has opposed is dropping the privy council as the final court of appeal for Trinidad and Tobago.

Panday believes that local courts could be politically influenced and has insisted that he won't support a change to make the Caribbean Court of Appeal the final court. He also opposes a justice ministry, which he says would compromise the independence of the Judiciary.