Panday sends IC list to president, but UNC still wants action against Richards

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday has sent a list of names of people he is recommending to serve on the Integrity Commission of Trinidad and Tobago.

President Max Richards had asked Panday for recommendations for appointments to the commission. Each member of the last commission Richards appointed resigned within 10 days.

The first resignation came as soon as the commissioners took the oath of office.

Read related story: Integrity commission ceases to exists; fifth commissioner to quit: Report

The fiasco led to calls from politicians and the opposition for the president to resign. But in an address to the nation, Richards said quitting was not an option.

"Resignation from office holds no terror for me. The central consideration in any step that I take in this matter must be the welfare of the country.

"Resignation gives no guarantee of that, and I will not allow the situation to be so manipulated as to result in yielding to pressure fuelled by lack of deep consideration of all the issues pertinent to resignation," Richards said.

Read the story: Quitting is not an option: T&T President

The opposition went as far as seeking to have the president impeached by Parliament, but that effort bore no fruit.

Still the United National Congress (UNC) wants action again Richards and on Sunday it passed a resolution at its National Assembly demanding that the president immediately appoint an Integrity Commission "or face proceedings under the Constitution seeking his removal".

The resolution also stated that the party's national executive should take all the necessary steps "to highlight and expose this injustice, illegality and unconstitutional conduct by the President by way of mass demonstrations, protests and international actions aimed at exposing undemocratic conduct of the President and by extension the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago."