Robert Mayers says a Trinidad Guardian article Thursday suggesting that he opposes the unity deal was misleading and "deliberately calculated to...create mischief". Read the Trinidad Guardian story: COP deputy leader hits UNC, unity deal
In a media release Thursday night the Congress of the People (COP) Deputy Leader said "the headline does not come close to reflecting the contents of the article associated with it."
The release added that Mayers "is adamant that the political arrangement which includes the Congress of the People (COP), the United National Congress (UNC), the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) and the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) is the country’s best chance of removing the People’s National Movement (PNM) from government."
It added that the COP official is confident the coalition will win the general election on May 24th.
It said Mayers' insistence that COP must be the protector of the public interest is in the context of coalition partners "acting as watchdogs" over each other.
Mayers noted that COP has "consistently advocated good governance as one of its core values and his statement is in keeping with that philosophy." He added that another core principle of the COP is its members’ entitlement to express views freely.
"It is only through free expression that there can be healthy debate on important issues such as a political arrangement that includes other parties," the release stated.
It added the COP remains committed to the principle of free expression "as a cornerstone of the democratic process and, therefore, condemns in the strongest manner possible, any attempt to misrepresent healthy discussion as division within the party."
The release did not address some of the other issues raised in the article including the assertion that "If the UNC wins upcoming elections, it would therefore be nothing more than exchange." The Guardian said its story was based on a statement from the COP official.
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