No deal at Partnership meeting; leaders to meet again. COP accuses Ramadhar of 'treachery'

PP leaders leave after a second meeting to resolve the Coudray matter

Monday's meeting to try to resolve an impasse that has developed within the People's Partnership ended without an agreement; the leaders of the five-member coalition have agreed to meet again.

The leader of the Congress of the People, Prakash Ramadhar, briefed reporters as the spokesperson for the group.

Ramadhar did not give a date or time for the third meeting. However he said the talks made "considerable progress" on matters on the agenda. The principal issue was COP's demand that the mayor of San Fernando be replaced with a nominee from COP.

Ramadhar said the next meeting would finalise the details of the COP’s position on the mayorship of San Fernando and establish clear "rules of engagement" for the strengthening of the partnership. In addition, he said the leaders have agreed that they must establish a forum for the discussion and resolution of national issues.

Ramadhar said the leaders left the meeting “lightened in our burden for leadership of this nation". He added, "We expect a resolution of these matters very shortly” and expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved in the interest of all.

And he insisted that there is no chance of the Coudray matter causing the break-up of the coalition.

Ramadhar's tone has changed dramatically since he first raised the issue and called for Coudray's removal, angrily insisting that Coudray's defection to the United National Congress (UNC) and her subsequent election to a post of deputy leader of the UNC was a violation of the spirit of the Fyzabad Declaration that established the coalition.

He has also told reporters if the partnership did not satisfactorily deal with the Coudray matter COP would not be interested in any further discussions.

On Sunday, Ramadhar met with top members of the party and later told the media that COP remains committed to the partnership and the government and that the Coudray matter would not cause COP to walk away.

Insiders in COP have expressed "shock" at Ramadhar's change and have accused him of "treachery".

A column circulating on the Internet from COP said, "Mr. Ramadhar's recent statement indicates that he has in fact capitulated and only trying to hold on since he is thinking about self and not the wider interest of the party's membership, a source of great concern."