Rejection of 16,000 membership applications violates UNC rules: Kamla

Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar says the membership committee of the United National Congress (UNC) did not consult her and some other members of the national executive (NATEX) before taking a decision to reject 16,000 membership applications.

Speaking at a meeting in Macaulay in support of her campaign for the leadership of the UNC she said the party contravened both the Constitution and UNC's election rules.

"I don’t know who made the decisions," she said, adding that the national executive was not party to the decision. "It is a stain, a shameful thing on our party for people to deny the processing of these applications,” Persad-Bissessar said.

She called the rejection of members "unprecedented" adding: “I am very concerned because this denies the citizens of this country of right to join a party of their choice. The constitution guarantees freedom of association."