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| File: Prakash Ramadhar with Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Jack Warner campaigning for the People's Partnership ahead of the recent opposition no confidence vote in Parliament |
Prakash Ramadhar is angry because the Mayor of San Fernando, Marlene Coudray, left his party, joined the United National Congress (UNC) and was elected by more than 7,000 UNC members to be a deputy leader of their party.
He called that "poaching" and insisted that it was a breach of the Fyzabad Declaration, claiming that the declaration provided for the Mayor of San Fernando to be a member of COP. Ramadhar has said it was "a genetleman's agreement".
JYOTI has been unable to find that in the document that created the partnership and Ramadhar has so far not explained why it took two years to notice that alleged discrepancy.
Coudray has said that her party never nominated her for the mayor's job. Both she and UNC Deputy Leader Roodal Moonilal have stated publicly that the UNC nominated her to be mayor.
Ramadhar and the party have also not explained why they dropped Coudray as a candidate for San Fernando West in the 2010 general election when she ran for the party in 2007 and came second in the seat that the PNM won. Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan won that seat for the partnership in 2010 as a COP candidate.
The partnership comprises five members who have agreed that Kamla Persad-Bissessar, political leader of the UNC, would lead the coalition.
Other members are:
Ramadhar and the party have also not explained why they dropped Coudray as a candidate for San Fernando West in the 2010 general election when she ran for the party in 2007 and came second in the seat that the PNM won. Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan won that seat for the partnership in 2010 as a COP candidate.
The partnership comprises five members who have agreed that Kamla Persad-Bissessar, political leader of the UNC, would lead the coalition.
Other members are:
- the Congress of the People, currently led by Prakash Ramadhar
- the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) headed by Makandal Daaga
- the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) led by David Abdulah
- the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) Ashworth Jack
The MSJ has said the government has not treated labour respectfully and fairly and has given the partnership a list of 10 items that it wants fulfilled before May 24, the anniversary of the coalition's victory over the PNM.
However, MSJ Leader David Abdullah has said he does not consider his party's demands as an ultimatum.
Read the story: MSJ gives partnership until May 24 to settle 10 major issues
With respect to COP's demands and Ramadhar's position, there appears to be a strong division within the party. Sports Minister Anil Roberts has come out strongly against the position adopted by Ramadhar and COP's executive, saying they do not speak for him.
And one columnist, who is a member of COP, called on his party "to retreat from the misdirection of the ultimatum handed to the UNC and to focus its/their energies instead on the internal shortcomings within our party and the lack of structure that precipitated this matter."
Ramadhar's argument that UNC has taken away the mayorship from COP is not valid since Coudray was nominated by the UNC and therefore for two years has functioned in that capacity with an agenda more in tune with the UNC than the COP. In that time COP never raised the matter as a contentious issue.
Vernon de Lima, the party's vice-chairman, told the Express newspaper Wednesday he does not place much value on the Coudray matter. However he said, "We are a partnership. This is a breach of trust."
However he does not believe there is any threat to the partnership. He told the paper, "I am hoping the Prime Minister brings the parties together."
However, MSJ Leader David Abdullah has said he does not consider his party's demands as an ultimatum.
Read the story: MSJ gives partnership until May 24 to settle 10 major issues
With respect to COP's demands and Ramadhar's position, there appears to be a strong division within the party. Sports Minister Anil Roberts has come out strongly against the position adopted by Ramadhar and COP's executive, saying they do not speak for him.
And one columnist, who is a member of COP, called on his party "to retreat from the misdirection of the ultimatum handed to the UNC and to focus its/their energies instead on the internal shortcomings within our party and the lack of structure that precipitated this matter."
Ramadhar's argument that UNC has taken away the mayorship from COP is not valid since Coudray was nominated by the UNC and therefore for two years has functioned in that capacity with an agenda more in tune with the UNC than the COP. In that time COP never raised the matter as a contentious issue.
Vernon de Lima, the party's vice-chairman, told the Express newspaper Wednesday he does not place much value on the Coudray matter. However he said, "We are a partnership. This is a breach of trust."
However he does not believe there is any threat to the partnership. He told the paper, "I am hoping the Prime Minister brings the parties together."
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