UNC plans big rally to mark Kamla's 2nd anniversary as Political Leader

File graphic - Kamla's pledge on winning post of UNC Political Leader 24 January 2010

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar plans to celebrate her second anniversary as Political Leader of the United National Congress (UNC) with a rally at the party's headquaters on January 24 - exactly two years to the date that she won a landslide victory over the UNC's founding leader, Basdeo Panday.

Persad-Bissesssar polled more than 13,000 votes from the UNC membership in that election while Panday received just over 1,300. All members of his slate, with the exception of Roodal Moonilal, lost to candidates supported by Persad-Bissessar. Jack Warner ran as an independent and defeated Vasant Bharath for the post of chairman.

The Prime Minister returns from India Sunday and is expected to announce details of agreements signed during her two-week visit.

The event at the Rienzi Complex will mark the launch of the campaign for officers of the UNC's national executive (NATEX).

All the posts except that of political leader are open and only financial members of the party can vote in the election scheduled for March 24, 2012.

So far the only person who has been campaigning is Panday. He has said he is not interested in any post but is acting as an adviser to a group called Generation Next, which has been reaching out to young people and other members of the UNC using the Internet and social media.

Panday has said he will run a full slate of candidates in his attempt to "take back" the party. Persad-Bissessar has said anyone who is qualified to run is free to do so.

There is a full schedule of events leading up to the rally on January 24, including the distribution of 4,000 lots to former workers of Caroni (1975) Limited, the distribution of 300 houses in south Trinidad and the handing out Certificates of Comfort (CoC) to hundreds of squatters on behalf of the Land Settlement Agency.