Ramnath group planning education campaign about UNC

UNC backbenchers Kelvin Ramnath, Basdeo Panday and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj held a caucus Thursday afternoon at Rienzi Complex, the Trinidad Guardian reported Friday.

It said the three opposition MPs met with several persons to discuss “the future.” The paper said Ramnath denied the meeting was held to plan a split in the UNC or launch another party.

It quoted the Couva South MP as saying the focus was on plans by the party's founders to mark the UNC’s 22nd anniversary on April 30 as well as legislative matters including the UNC’s motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister on April 9 and Local Government elections.

"We also wanted to discuss the UNC’s future, including its 22nd anniversary on April 30, and a program for that month marking the event," he said, adding that the anniversary event would include radio ads featuring UNC founders.

“We will all be speaking about the party’s development from its beginnings as Club 88 to date,” the Guardian quoted Ramnath as saying. The plans would include a dinner to honour the contributions of UNC founder Panday, Ramnath told the paper.

“We as founders have to educate the public as to what the UNC really is all about...UNC is very different from any other party even with its one-man-one vote system.

"We’re entitled to question the decisions of the leadership and that is what we’re doing...We must be able to discuss what the leadership is doing and we should be able to make recommendations and tell them how we feel about the new culture.

“More than that, though, our job is to prevent and protect democracy in the UNC and the party’s image,” he told the paper.