Seepersad-Bachan defends PP, tells COP she stands behind cabinet on board appointments

Energy Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan has told members of her Congress of the People (COP) that contrary to what they are saying in their campaigns for Sunday's executive elections there is no unfair treatment to COP from the People's Partnership.

Seepersad-Bachan, who is the MP for San Fernando West and a founding member of COP spoke at a meeting in her constituency and addressed the main beef of many of her COP colleagues - board appointments.

“It is not about how many UNC members got on board; how many COP members got on board, or how many MSJ. What we have always preached is that we will put the right people in the right positions,” she emphasised..

“We must ensure professionalism, competence, experience and maturity to meet the complex challenges of some of the agencies to which we have made board appointments. We gave a commitment that whatever it takes, we will not be putting square pegs in round holes,” Seepersad-Bachan said.

"I am a Cabinet member... and therefore by the collective responsibility for Cabinet, I stand firmly by the decisions of Cabinet,” she added.

‘Yes, we have disagreements on some things, and we will continue to disagree on some things, but the COP as a member of the people’s partnership understands the level of trust you have placed in us, just as all members of the partnership understand. Even in disagreement, we will not let you down,’ she added.

She assured COP members that their party is “in good hands, and will remain in good hands” no matter who wins Sunday's executive elections.

She added, “Your People’s Partnership is in great shape, and will remain in great shape. And don’t let anyone mislead you by saying there are disagreements and problems...

“My friends, even the closest of family disagree, even the strongest of unions have divergent views, and I want to tell you, the movement you should get worried is when you hear someone trying to convince you that we always have unanimous agreement on everything. We cannot,” she added.

Joseph Toney, who is running for the post of COP chairman against Hulsie Bhaggan promised that under his leadership there would be "disappointment and outrage" of the kind that COP members expressed over board appointments.

“Now on the question of board of appointments, let me reiterate, it is not a question of getting a job for a partner. 

"You see when the population voted in May of this year for the people’s partnership, they voted to have five political parties and the Cabinet is prime example of that, inclusive of all political entities,” he said.

"We all love the partnership and we want the partnership to succeed,” Toney added. 

The final meeting for Sunday's election takes place Friday night. COP political leader Winston Dookeran will deliver the feature address.