And the outspoken Sport Minister has criticised his party for its handling of the Couday matter.
In an interview with the Guardian Roberts accused the COP executive of trying to force Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to break the law, by insisting that San Fernando mayor Marlene Coudray must go.
"The Prime Minister cannot remove a sitting mayor and Mr Ramadhar must understand that and is fully aware of that," he told the paper. "What they are doing is trying to get the Prime Minister to break the law and I will not support that," he added.
"The COP is looking more like the PNM in the way they operate," Roberts said. "This smells like PNM politics but then again I am not shocked."
Roberts said he doesn't under the fuss over Coudray’s decision to leave COP and join the UNC.
Leaders of the People’s Partnership are meeting Monday to discuss their difference. Last Thursday they met without resolving the issue and agreed to continue their discussions.
Ramadhar had suggested that the Coudray matter could cause COP to leave the partnership. However on Sunday he said he never made such a statement and pledged COP's support for the partnership and the government.
Roberts made it clear that he has no intention of walking out on the partnership. “If Mr Ramadhar wants to walk then so be it, but I am not walking behind him and I am not standing behind him in his decision for Ms Coudray to be removed,” he said. “They are giving the Prime Minister an ultimatum and how could you do that? “What really does Mr Ramadhar expect the Prime Minister to do?"
Roberts accused some COP members of trying to create cracks in the coalition, adding that he wants to keep a safe distance from the party until the Coudray issue is resolved.
"I would not be attending no raffle, no barbecue, no meeting that the COP has, and I have made that position very clear and they are well aware of it,” Roberts said.
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