The Congress of the People (COP) is still angry about the defection of San Fernando mayor Marlene Coudray to its coalition partner the United National Congress (UNC).
And COP leader Prakash Ramadhar told reporters Tuesday that is a matter that could cause COP to reconsider its membership in the governing coalition. He also demanded the immediate removal of Coudray as mayor and her replacement with a COP nominee.
Coudray's controversial move to the UNC and her subsequent election as one of the party's three deputy leaders has left COP in a tailspin. It has accused the UNC of stealing one of its members, a charge that the UNC has denied.
Coudray herself has dismissed COP's complaints, saying that she broke off relations with COP a long time ago. She suggested that things could have been different if COP had not treated her with contempt.
She was the COP San Fernando West candidate in the 2007 general election but was replaced by Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan in the 2010 election. Matters grew worse when COP did not favour her to be mayor. It was the UNC that proposed and supported Coudray to be the mayor following the 2010 Local Government Elections.
Speaking at a media conference, Ramadhar said the move by Coudray has weakened the Fyzabad Declaration, which brought together the UNC, COP, the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) and the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) in a formal coalition to contest the 2010 general election.
The grouping won the election and has since been working together as the government of Trinidad & Tobago.
Ramadhar told the media the issue of concern is what he called the attempt to "take the leadership of the San Fernando Corporation and abandon the People's Partnership by trampling on the Fyzabad Declaration".
He added, "the COP will not be pushed aside and allow this hijack to take place. We will make the resolution of this issue the Number One priority of the upcoming leadership meeting.
"If it is not addressed adequately, we will be discussing nothing further as the very terms of our coming together would have been thrown out the window. Should that happen, the party will have to reconsider its relationship with the other partners."
Ramadhar declared, "If anybody cares enough about this country and the voting population that put us into office, they will do the things necessary based on the agreements we had arrived at, the foundation upon which it was built, to maintain respect and adhere to the agreement.
"It is not for me to say that anything will break, what I am saying is that there are consequences to actions."
However, in a statement, UNC Deputy Political Leader, Dr. Roodal Moonilal, set the records straight by pointing out that COP neither nominated nor appointed Coudray as mayor.
Coudray's controversial move to the UNC and her subsequent election as one of the party's three deputy leaders has left COP in a tailspin. It has accused the UNC of stealing one of its members, a charge that the UNC has denied.
Coudray herself has dismissed COP's complaints, saying that she broke off relations with COP a long time ago. She suggested that things could have been different if COP had not treated her with contempt.
She was the COP San Fernando West candidate in the 2007 general election but was replaced by Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan in the 2010 election. Matters grew worse when COP did not favour her to be mayor. It was the UNC that proposed and supported Coudray to be the mayor following the 2010 Local Government Elections.
Speaking at a media conference, Ramadhar said the move by Coudray has weakened the Fyzabad Declaration, which brought together the UNC, COP, the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) and the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) in a formal coalition to contest the 2010 general election.
The grouping won the election and has since been working together as the government of Trinidad & Tobago.
Ramadhar told the media the issue of concern is what he called the attempt to "take the leadership of the San Fernando Corporation and abandon the People's Partnership by trampling on the Fyzabad Declaration".
He added, "the COP will not be pushed aside and allow this hijack to take place. We will make the resolution of this issue the Number One priority of the upcoming leadership meeting.
"If it is not addressed adequately, we will be discussing nothing further as the very terms of our coming together would have been thrown out the window. Should that happen, the party will have to reconsider its relationship with the other partners."
Ramadhar declared, "If anybody cares enough about this country and the voting population that put us into office, they will do the things necessary based on the agreements we had arrived at, the foundation upon which it was built, to maintain respect and adhere to the agreement.
"It is not for me to say that anything will break, what I am saying is that there are consequences to actions."
However, in a statement, UNC Deputy Political Leader, Dr. Roodal Moonilal, set the records straight by pointing out that COP neither nominated nor appointed Coudray as mayor.
In that context Ramadhar's contention that UNC is trying to "take the leadership" of the San Fernando city corporation is without merit.
Moonilal described Coudray as a strong and independent woman, adding that former Prime Minister Patrick Manning tried to move her and could not.
Manning tried to arbitrarily transfer Coudray from her job as Chief Executive Officer of the San Fernando city corporation. He took him to court, claiming discrimination, and won.
Moonilal described Coudray as a strong and independent woman, adding that former Prime Minister Patrick Manning tried to move her and could not.
Manning tried to arbitrarily transfer Coudray from her job as Chief Executive Officer of the San Fernando city corporation. He took him to court, claiming discrimination, and won.
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