Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath abstained in a vote in Parliament Friday that caused the defeat of an opposition motion to have the House of Representatives debate the latest controversy over UDeCOTT and its executive chairman, Calder Hart.New evidence in the public domain confirms the family relationships of Hart to two people who were directly connected to CH Development Limited at the time that Hart awarded the company a TT $369 million contract to build the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower.
Hart had categorically denied any such relationship.
Read the story: Harts had family connection to CH Development: Report
Related story: COP demands halt to UDeCOTT projects, dimissal of Calder Hart
Related: Quote of the day - Keith Rowley on UDeCOTT
On Friday, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar sought leave of the Speaker for an adjournment to discuss the matter as one of urgent public importance.
The motion called on the Prime Minister to immediately fire Hart from his UDeCOTT post and from several State Enterprises to which he has been appointed.
The Speaker put the motion before the House, but it failed after Panday and Ramnath abstained.
Persad-Bissessar was furious that her colleagues did not support her. In a media release Friday night she said the population was denied an opportunity to have the prime minister answer critical questions "of such national importance".
The UNC leader said, "Over the past few weeks I deliberately chose to ignore the political theatrics of some members of the old guard of the UNC since it is my belief that they only serve the purpose of creating a distraction that achieves nothing positive in the representation of the people’s interests."
She added, "I am compelled to respond to the shocking behaviour of Mr. Panday and Mr. Ramnath. The antics of these two experienced Members of Parliament and co-founder of the UNC amounts to a travesty of justice and the most irresponsible, reckless act of senseless behaviour I have ever witnessed when one considers how crucial the matter was before the House."
"What purpose did Mr. Panday and Mr. Ramnath believe would be served by their abstention on the vote, which had the effect of defeating their own party’s motion other than to relieve Patrick Manning and the Cabinet from answering the burning questions on the Calder Hart issue?" she asked.
Persad-Bissessar said it is a sad day for opposition politics "When the PNM can depend on Mr. Panday and Mr. Ramnath to rescue them.".
She added that the population and history "will weigh their actions today and so judge them. Their irrelevance and irreverence have already caused a reaction among their own constituency members, many of whom have called the office of the Opposition Leader to voice their disgust.
"Unfortunately, this is the kind of distraction that our party and country do not need especially at a time like this but we will have to find ways and means of dealing with men who having tasted the bitterness of defeat are hell bent on dishonouring their once proud past by such disservice to their party and country."
The UNC leader said people are mightier than any individual regardless of who he or she may be and "so we will forge on in their defence using every weapon at our disposal even when those amongst us act against the interest of those whom they are sworn to serve."
4 comments:
BAD NEWS REPORTING ON TV6 BY SASHA MOHAMMED
Contrary to what was carried on the TV6 News this evening -Friday 5th March, as news, I was present in the parliament and saw that both Mr Panday and Mr Ramnath remained sitting as their gesture that they were not supporting the motion moved by Persad Bissessar. There was no indication that either Mr Panday or Mr Ramnath supported the PNM as the question by the speaker requested the members of the Opposition to show who supported the motion.
Mr Panday told media personnel that Persad Bissessar did not indicate to him that she had intended to move such a motion. Even in the Civil Service, supervisors are required to notify subordinates in advance of any action contemplated which may adversely affect them.
It was reported elsewhere, that Persad Bissessar said she had tried to contact Mr Panday but was unsuccessful. How was this done by telephone contact or fax ? Was any registered mail sent to Mr Panday ?
From what we saw Persad Bissessar had a second "bounce up" with Mr Dookeran and had the time to have discussions with him and Mr Ramadhar, but not with Mr Panday. If Persad Bissessar intends leading the party she must address the media and demonstrate the image of an independent tenacious and realistic individual if she is to go forward.
To Mr. Bhola,
There are various means of communicating a message to another person and it is not correct to insinuate that Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar has not attempted on numerous occasions to communicate with Mr. basdeo Panday. In my eyes, he has failed once again by telling lies to the media which whatever Panday loyalists are still around will believe. I strongly believe that Mr. Panday is digging a hole for himself and it is only a matter of time before we see the end results. Good day to you sir.
Hey, yesterday when I saw this, my jaw dropped, no kidding, I was, well speech-less - ah mean this is a man who claims to have struggled blood sweat and tears for the people, bull shit. Worst yet, this idiot jumps up and demand accountability form the corrupt PNM regime, but because of selfish reasons did not support the motion, politics does have a morality of its own, well soon he would understand what that means. I hope that Kamla moves away from this bull shit about he being her Guru and mentor, I have expressed disappointment elsewhere when she made that dotish statement, because this man cussed everyone who dared to say listen you are wrong on this
Ronald, I think that you are a victim of politics of it's own morality, I cannot believe for one moment that Kamla has not tried to contact Panday. Panday I am afraid has fooled you too.
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