PM Kamla says it's a good idea for coalition partners to meet

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told reporters Tuesday it's a good idea for leaders in the People's Partnership to meet.

She was responding to a letter sent to her by Prakash Ramadhar, Leader of the Congress of the People (COP), a member of the governing coalition.

Ramadhar told reporters on Sunday that he wrote the Prime Minister requesting a meeting of all the leaders of the People's Partnership to discuss the Government's progress since taking office in 2010.

Persad-Bissessar confirmed that she has since discussed the letter with Mr. Ramadhar. "When I spoke to him, his concern was not about the Partnership," she said. 

"When I spoke to him on the telephone yesterday (Monday), he said there are persons who feel they are not being attended to and therefore we may want to focus on looking after those needs and delivering for those persons who feel left out of the governance. 

"He did not specifically raise with me yesterday an issue relating to how the Partnership is functioning."

She repeated what she said earlier in the week that the People's Partnership coalition is strong.

"I think it is a good idea to meet, to reassess where we are and what is the way forward. We have done well so far, in holding the Government together," she said. 

"It is unusual situation to have five parties in a partnership and holding together as strong as we are. I think as we come to the end of the year, we take credit for that, for holding this Government together. 

"We will have differences of opinions but the most important thing is to be able, at the end of hearing each other's views, to arrive at a consensus."