Imbert "endorses" Panday for UNC leadership

Government House leader in Parliament on Colm Imbert Wednesday rejected arguments by the opposition that Government had sprung the debate on the Civil Aviation Amendment Bill on the UNC without warning.

He was responding to a charge from acting Opposition Chief Whip Dr Roodal Moonilal who seemed unfamiliar with the subject at hand as he fumbled with his papers during his contribution to the debate on the legislation.

Imbert called the bill a simple one and said it was not true that the government did not give the opposition enough time to prepare for the debate.

He said the the government chose to debate the bill on Wednesday "out of deference and consideration" for the UNC as it prepares for its internal election in which Basdeo Panday is defending his leadership against two MPs, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Ramesh L. Maharaj.

He claimed that the Panday team "begged and pleaded" with him to allow them to put their machinery in place to defeat Persad-Bissessar, which is why he moved the debate to Wednesday instead of Friday.

Imbert added that he agreed to do it "on one condition, that the Panday slate is victorious."

When other opposition MPs noted that Maharaj is also running against Panday, Imbert quipped that the Tabaquite MP is "not even in the race."

Panday, Warner, Persad-Bissessar and Maharaj all left the House of Representatives early Wednesday to continue their respective campaigns, which Imbert called a "titanic struggle".

And he warned that the opposition was "burning up goodwill". He said the government may not be as generous again.

Commenting on Imbert's apparent endorsement of the Panday slate, Warner said although they may wish to pass it off as picong, the message from the PNM is that they perfer to have Panday back in charge of the UNC.

He told JYOTI the PNM is supporting Panday and the statement from Imbert is the clear evidence. "I told you so," he said, "the PNM wants Panday to lead the UNC."