Kamla Persad-Bissessar ramped up her attack on United National Congress (UNC) leader Basdeo Panday Sunday night, accusing him to giving away his government in 2001.
Speaking at a political following a motorcade in central Trinidad the Siparia MP said it is a fallacy that she advised Panday to negotiate with Patrick Manning following the 18-18 tie.
Persad-Bissessar, who was attorney general at the time, said she consulted the best legal minds and presented an opinion that Panday should remain prime minister and try to form a government.
She insisted that she was not a part of the negotiating team for the Crowne Plaza agreement in which both Panday and Manning agreed to abide by the decision of President Robinson. The president fired Panday and appointed Manning as prime minister on Christmas Eve 2001, saying it was time for a government of "spirituality and morality."
She took her audience a few months back to the agreement her opponent, Ramesh L. Maharaj, made with Manning to form a new government and overthrow the Panday UNC government that had just been elected with a majority.
Maharaj has insisted that the deal is irrelevant, but Persad-Bissessar said it was because of that deal the UNC was thrown out of office and it has never been able to get back to government.
"You were in government...You were the prime minister and you and Ramesh fight like dog and cat and we lost the government.
"You are not fit to govern. You and Ramesh must stop telling people lie and you must face the facts," she said.
She said it was a double betrayal. "First Ramesh make a deal with Manning and overthrow the government…and then Panday make a deal with Manning and fired himself.
"All you remember that? It was at the same Crowne Plaza hotel. Panday putting his arm around Manning and telling him “let’s go home kid”?
"So the two men who want you to elect them leader of our party and the ones who have we in opposition. And the two of them have the same best friend, Patrick Manning," she said.
Persad Bissessar also framed a conspiracy theory, connecting Maharaj and Panday in a plot to let Panday win the January 24 election.
"You notice how Ramesh never attacking Panday and Panday not attacking Ramesh. They know why. They have they deal to keep we in opposition so their best friend will stay in government."
She suggested that there is more than meets the eye. "And when Manning in government, then Panday is a happy man. Ramesh is his lawyer; Manning is his friend, so you figure out the rest."
She urged UNC members to reject both of them and coined a new label for Maharaj and Panday.
"I tell them, throw out the losers. They cannot win anything. "Ramdey" is the new team. So I tell you tonight my brothers and sisters, leave "Ramdey" right DEY and vote for Kamla on Sunday."
Earlier in the day Persad-Bissessar told reporters she is satisfied with her campaign and overwhelmed by the support. But she expressed deep concern about the UNC voters' list.
“There is tremendous concern about the list but we will work with it as we do not want to stop the elections,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar said she would continue to focus on the issues, especially uniting the opposition.
“I think the candidate who can unite the opposition forces should win. And, I think I have done the right thing. Unless the lists are doctored from there, we have the largest membership in the constituency of Siparia,” Persad- Bissessar said.
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