Investigate appointment of chief whip, election irregularities: Ramesh

Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj has written to the general secretary of the United National Congress (UNC) to complain about the appointment of UNC chairman Jack Warner as Chief Whip.

In his letter dated February 3 to Dr Glen Ramadharsingh said the appointment of the Whip did not follow established conventions and was therefore flawed.

The Tabaquite MP, who is a former UNC Chief Whip, said MPs are entitled to know the name of the person being proposed for the post and to have a free and open discussion on whether they support of oppose the nominee for the post.

He said, “This was not done in the appointment of the Chief Whip. It is important therefore for this procedural flaw to be corrected," he said.

Maharaj added, “If it is not corrected it would be unfair not only to the Members of Parliament but to the MP who was appointed Chief Whip...(it) cannot generate the confidence of members in the appointment which was made.”

He said if the matter is not resolved he would have no choice but to act. "I have a duty as a Member of Parliament to conduct a public investigation into these complaints if no such public investigation as requested is conducted," he said.

Maharaj also requested an investigation into what he called "gross irregularities" in the internal election.

He was clear that the intent is not to change the results of the elections "but to give members the opportunity to air their concerns and for them to be assured that their concerns would be taken into account in creating a fair election machinery for the future."

Maharaj said the right of members to vote in the January 24 election was "flagrantly denied."

He said, "Members of the Caucus openly campaigned for the principle of openness, transparency and accountability as an essential requirement of democracy. The Caucus therefore has a duty to agree that a public investigation be conducted into these complaints of irregularities and fraudulent practices."

Former UNC leader Basdeo Panday raised the same election issue at Wednesday's caucus and asked for a public probe but was denied. The political leader said the national executive, not the Parliamentary arm, will deal with the matter.

That prompted a walkout by Panday, his brother, daughter, MP Kelvin Ramnath and Senators Adesh Nanan and M.F. Rahman.