Kamla calls on UNC to defend government and be battle ready for THA and Local Government elections

UNC members stand united at Saturday's congress

Kamla Persad-Bissessar called on her party on Saturday to become the "eyes and ears" of the government because it is their "duty" to stay in power. "The government will be as strong as the party is strong," she said as she addressed a national congress of the United National Congress (UNC) at Reinzi Complex, Couva.

The UNC political leader warned her party that the PNM will "discriminate, will deny, will frustrate you at every turn" adding that if they allow that to happen the fairness and equity that citizens enjoy under the People's Partnership government will be lost.

And she challenged them to expand the party in preparation for the Local Government election that is due in July 2013.

"You must expand the party by recruiting new members and forming party groups in every electoral area...Councillors and MP’s must begin to walk their areas once again in what will be a strategy designed to listen and serve."

Petrsad-Bissesar noted that with the Tobago House of Assembly Election just weeks away supporters must be prepared to deal with every manner of unfounded attacks on the government.

"You must stand ready to defend your leaders, your party and the policies of your government. Your party will always be under attack. You must rise to the challenge and fearlessly go forward with confidence in your government and its ability to create a prosperous nation.

"Get the facts and become instruments for disseminating these facts. You must believe in the power of the Partnership and preserve it. Do not succumb to the propaganda which will increase over the next few months with two elections in the air," she said. "The campaign of 2010 has never been over. You must give us feedback on what the ground is saying."

She also gave the party a preview of what is come in the remaining 30 months of her administration:

• Improve personal and community security by dealing with crime
• Deliver better quality services particularly in the area of health care
• Create the conditions for greater food security as a nation and further reduce food prices
• Improve the road infrastructure including highways and local roads
• Improve drainage across the nation
• Deliver better recreational facilities
• Increase access to early childhood and tertiary education
• Bring the youth population more directly into the decision making process
• Develop the economic conditions for more sustainable jobs
• Reform the Public service to become more citizen centric and responsive
• Improve the water supplies throughout the nation
• Reduce poverty, deal effectively with domestic violence and child abuse 

She said ministers must also take on the role of Managers and get the job done. "Roll up your sleeves, put on your boots, get your umbrellas and go into the field."

The UNC leader said the party has done well and urged every member to protect what they laboured so hard to gain. "Confront our detractors with the facts of our performance. Go forth bravely," she declared. 

She reminded them that strength is not always the main ingredient when it comes to winning. "In the confrontation between the rock and the stream, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance," she said.

"Look at your party today. For over twenty four years we persevered and we won. There is no quick fix in politics. There is hard work. 

"Winning comes from being a team that is focussed on the task, a team that will not be distracted from its goal. Be that team because you know - we are one!"