Panday pledges to continue struggle on behalf of the people

Basdeo Panday said on morning radio Wednesday he is not surprised at criticisms against him in the media because he expects his political enemies to use the media to malign him.

Panday said he has reached a stage in his life when people's opinions of him are of not of any significance.

The United National Congress (UNC) leader was speaking on 97.5fm with journalist Hansly Adjodha. He immediately dismissed as irrelevant a suggestion by the host that at 76 he should not be in active politics.

Panday said age is not the significant issue but the vigour and ability to fight, noting that some people who are much younger than him are "politically dead".

In a rambling introduction Panday outlined his early life, his education, entry into politics and career. And said he is satisfied that he did his duty during his decades in politics.

He admitted making mistakes along the way but has no regrets because throughout his career he has been doing what he believed in.

Panday told Adjodha that the trend in call-in radio shows is to "detract from intelligent conversation" and suggested that it would be better not to have audience participation in the interview.

That's a departure from Panday's fighting spirit characterized by his famous statement, "When you see me and a lion fighting, feel sorry for the lion."

Commenting on calls for him to go, Panday said it is clear that those who call for his departure only want that to happen so that they could take his place. "Some would like it on a platter," he said.

Adjodha suggested that the UNC under Panday lost substantial support to the Congress of the People (COP) and asked whether that was not a sign that change is inevitable.

Without addressing the issue directly Panday said that is why he is advocating proportional representation (PR), noting that the people who voted for COP would have had representation in Parliament under such a system.

He said Manning told him he won't accept PR because such a system would put the PNM in opposition. He said he suggested to Manning that the country hold a referendum on whether to change the electoral system to proportional representation but Manning was not interested.

"He is afraid of a referendum because he would lose," Panday said. The former prime minsiter said the people are the final arbiters and they will eventually decide their own future.

He said the next stage would be for people to keep up the struggle for change adding that he hopes that such change would be peaceful.

He stressed the need for constitutional reform, noting that the government is not responsive to the demands of the people because in the present system the prime minister controls both the executive and the legislature and could therefore ignore the people.

He said he tried to change the system while he was in office but the opposition led by Manning was not interested in that.

Panday disagreed with a suggestion that Tuesday's meeting did not produce any useful result. He said one signficant issue was that Manning agreed to consider the opposition's views on constitutional reform.

He rejected the idea that he and Manning met for political expediency, calling such suggestions "foolish". He dismissed the notion that he needs Manning, insiting that the issue is "not about Manning and Panday" but about the welfare of the nation.