Friday, May 4, 2012

Moonilal says all's well; Ramadhar tells media no one can muzzle him

Roodal Moonilal told reporters on Thursday the marathon meeting of Cabinet and Government members on Wednesday resulted in solutions to problems. The meeting ended just after one on Thursday morning.

The deputy leader of the United National Congress (UNC) also assured reporters that Local Government Minister Chandresh Sharma will intervene to try to end the ongoing tensions involving the mayor of San Fernando and councillors.

Two members of the UNC, who are councillors in San Fernando, have resigned from the party and are supporting moves to oust Coudray as mayor.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar left Wednesday's meeting just after seven to brief the media, giving the assurance that contrary to rumours that had been circulating in the country no minister had been fired.

The rumour was that the Prime Minister had fired Congress of the People (COP) political leader and Legal Affairs Minister. The Express newspaper had carried a "breaking news" report on its online site about the rumour. It says four Cabinet Ministers had confirmed the story.


Ramadhar had been under pressure from his cabinet colleagues, including members of his own parliamentary caucus, for statements he made over the weekend and on Monday. The COP national congress rejected Ramadhar's agreement with other leaders of the People's Partnership that the Marlene Coudray matter was closed.

Ramadhar stated publicly on Sunday that the matter remained open and stated further that COP would adopt an independent position and not necessarily vote with government on legislature matters. 


Then on Monday he suggested that he never agreed to close the matter and suggested that the partnership leaders were bullied by the prime minister into stating that the Coudray matter was closed.

On Thursday Ramadhar didn't have much to say to the media. "I prefer not to add anything to the statement that the Prime Minister made on those issues, they were dealt with in that marathon session yesterday (Wednesday) and I am very comfortable and convinced that we will proceed smoothly at the Cabinet and the Parliament."

Ramadhar met with top officials of his party in Port of Spain Thursday to report on the latest developments.

Some COP insiders believe Ramadhar has betrayed the party because he failed to abide by COP's decision agreed on Sunday to continue to insist on the removal of Coudray as mayor and to adopt an independent stand in legislative matters.

The Express newspaper reported that some COP insiders fear that Ramadhar has allowed himself to become a puppet and that he has been effectively muzzled. However, Ramadhar assured reporters before going into the COP meeting that he has not been silenced. "I cannot be muzzled," he said.

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Jai & Sero

Jai & Sero

Our family at home in Toronto 2008

Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai