Kamla pays tribute to Panday, defends Volney

Kamla Persad-Bissessar paid tribute Friday night to the founder of the United National Congress (UNC) to mark the 21st birth anniversary of the party.

The party was launched in Aranguez in October 1988 and was formally inaugurated at a mass rally in Port of Spain on April 30, 1989.

"Tonight I want to pay tribute to our founding fathers and to our founding leader, Mr Basdeo Panday and all those who laboured and struggled to build our party," she said as she began her speech at a UNC meeting in the La Horquetta/Talparo constituency.

She said it is a credit to the founders that after 21 years they are passing the torch to a new generation of leaders whom she described as patriots and "freedom fighters of the UNC".

Related: UNC turns 21; founders pay tribute

Persad-Bissessar also spoke of the courage and conviction of ex-judge Herbert Volney, making it clear that "Citizen Volney" only came to the UNC after he resigned his job as a judge of the High Court earlier in the week. Volney will fight the St Joseph seat on May 24.

She said Volney gave up his privileges and his income, ending an illustrious career in the judiciary to enter politics in defence of the country. "Thank you, citizen Volney," she declared.

The UNC leader said Prime Minister Patrick Manning's policies have failed and now after eight and a half years, it is time for the country to make a change in the leadership.

She said Manning's history in government is characterized by greed and his philosophy of putting self interest ahead of the interests of citizens. She said never before has the choice been so clear in a general election.

And she pledged that the government she will lead after May 24 will have zero tolerance for corruption and promised that she will lead with people in mind.

"We will not put a palace before a hospital bed," she said adding that crime prevention will take precedence over UDeCOTT projects."

And she said whatever her government does, it will be done in consultation with the people.

She also promised again that there will be no property tax and no TTRA.