Moonilal edges out Mark as UNC deputy leader in recount

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodlal Moonilal has been elected one of the three deputy leaders of the United National Congress (UNC) based on a recount of votes from Sunday's internal election.

Senator Wade Mark has initially been declared the winner but after the recount election officials gave the nod to Moonilal, who is the sole member of the Panday team that won a position in the new 18-member executive.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar won a landslide, taking more than 13,000 votes while the incumbent leader, Basdeo Panday polled just over one thousand. In the race for the chairmanship St Augustine MP Vasant Bharath suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Jack Warner.

Moonilal is one of three deputy leaders. The others are former Chaguanas Mayor Dr Suruj Rambachan and Sen. Lyndira Oudit.

Mark told reporters Tuesday he is a servant of the people and is prepared to work with any leader. His appointment to the Senate can be revoked by the leader of the opposition who is Panday.

The parliamentary convention is for the leader of the opposition party to become the opposition leader but the formula is based on whether the person has the support of the majority of MPs. the opinion of senators does not matter.

Some MPs are firmly behind Panday and they have said the issue of the leadership of the opposition has not come up since they have not lost confidence in Panday's role in that position.

But others have said they will support Persad-Bissessar since she is the new party leader. If seven members support her and make representation to the president, Panday could be fired and replaced by the new UNC leader.

Those who support Panday as the opposition leader say he holds the post on the basis of the result of a general election in which 194,000 people voted and therefore he should not be removed on the basis of less than 16,000 members of the party.