Gopeesingh tells Yetming, Ganga stay out of UNC affairs

Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh has told former UNC MPs Gerry Yetming and Ganga Singh to mind their own business and leave the United National Congress to handle its affairs.

In a statement Wednesday, Gopeesingh also asked Congress of the People (COP) Leader Winston Dookeran to check to see if both men, who are now members of the COP, are undermining the party.

He was commenting on statements by Yetming and Singh earlier in the week suggesting that MPs who supported the Panday slate in the January 24 UNC election end their "Tabanaca" and support new UNC Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for the leader of the opposition, a post currently held by Panday.

Gopeesingh disagreed with the assumption that there is a crisis in the UNC over the matter, saying it is in fact a non issue.

"Statements from both Mrs. Persad-Bissessar and Jack Warner show that there is in fact no crisis as both have said that the Opposition Leader post is not a priority with them. UNC MPs have also adopted this position while we continue our Parliamentary work," Gopeesingh said.

Gopeesingh noted a statement attributed to Yetming in which he is quoted as saying "’You can see that from the current mischief that guys like Vasant Bharath and Tim Gopeesingh are playing. Without any questions, they should support Kamla as Opposition Leader".

The Caroni East MP stated that his politics over the past 16 years has always been driven by service to people and that he put country first.

"I will always respond to the will of the people," he said, adding, "In this vein, I wish to categorically dismiss the comments of both Mr. Singh and Mr. Yetming as having no credibility whatsoever, and further advise them to tend to their own party’s affairs, that is, the COP."

He also had some more specific comments for Yetming, saying the former UNC Finance Minister has demonstrated "in his limited political life" that he is nothing short of a political opportunist who has never put the people’s interest first.

"He entered the UNC Government in the cushy position of Finance Minister with virtually no political experience at the behest of Basdeo Panday...Mr. Yetming’s record shows that, unlike me, he has never had the interest of any citizen in this country at heart. His aim is to be in Government and he will stoop to any level of groveling and ingratiation to achieve that."

Gopeesingh noted that his record is one of unconditional service and pointed out that unlike Yetming, he remained loyal to to the UNC in its darkest hour, helping to build the image of the party and stabilize and cement its Parliamentary strength.

"I do not intend to fail in that duty but I will not be subjected to the machinations of failed politicians whose only intention is to latch on to the coat tails of whichever leader they see as having the possibility of fulfilling their power hungry ambitions.

"In this vein, I wish to publicly warn Mrs. Persad-Bissessar about the recent upsurge of former politicians rushing back to join the UNC. She needs to carefully sift out whether these people, who abandoned the party in its darkest hour, truly have the party’s and nation’s interest at heart, or their own."

Gopeesingh said while he welcomes unity of all parties, "I must say that I will not endorse anyone who has selfish political ambitions and who seek to use the UNC as the vehicle for their power quest. I also wish to assure the nation that I, along with the other MPs, are continuing our duty and serving the people."