COP unhappy with leader's decision on Coudray

File: COP leader Prakash Ramadhar

The Congress of the People (COP) is not accepting its leader's decision on the Marlene Coudray matter and said on Sunday it is prepared to take an independent position on policy matters in the Parliament unless Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar addresses the matter of the San Fernando mayor.

Persad-Bissessar made it clear on her return from the Summit of the Americas that she had nothing more to say on the matter beyond the agreement reached by the leaders of the People's partnership on April 12 that COP agreed that it has lost that position and that it would consider other options.

COP leader Prakash Ramadhar was present at that meeting and agreed to the joint statement issued by the leaders.

Read the story: PM Kamla has no additional comments on Partnership matter

COP chairman spoke with reporters in Charlieville, Chaguanas Sunday following a meeting of the party's national council.

Joseph Toney said, "Until this matter is resolved, that is the matter of the mayorship of San Fernando, the national council instructed the national executive and the political leader that they wanted to go on record that the COP reserves the right to revisit our relationship with all the units that form the People’s Partnership (PP).

“In this regard, you will notice as we go forward that the COP would be asserting its right publicly to take an independent position on policy issues,” he said.

COP officials insisted that the agreement for a member of their party to hold the position of San Fernando mayor must remain.

Ramadhar told reporters the independent position means the party "exercises it’s right independently, as an independent political party within the confines of coalition politics, to stand on any position that the party has taken—independent and separate from the Partnership itself.”

The COP leader said, "The national council has instructed myself as political leader and the other members of Cabinet, COP members, to remain in the Cabinet and therefore, it is from there as a first option we would exercise a right to insist on certain policy decisions or adjustments.”

Ramadhar said COP's new position means COP would not automatically vote with the government on legislative matters. "We would exercise our independent discretion and if we think it is in the interest of T&T, we will support legislation,” he said. “If we do not believe it is in the interest of the people of T&T, for now and for the future, we will take the decision to either vote against legislation or to abstain from voting.”

Ramadhar appeared to backtrack on the position he accepted earlier this month.
"In the present instance, we will not accept any alternative compensation for the breach of the agreement by the UNC...We will not sacrifice principle for position,” he said.

The COP leader said his party "would not be bought" through the offer of any alternative position.

COP's change in its position would not affect government's ability to pass legislation on matters requiring a simple majority. The UNC has 21 members in the House of Representatives. COP has six and the Tobago Organisation of the People has 2. The opposition People's National Movement (PNM) has 12 members.

COP could find itself in an embarrassing position since at least one of its six elected members is at odds with the party and its leader on the Coudray matter. Sports Minister Anil Roberts is on record as saying that Ramadhar does not speak for him on this matter.