Volney moves to backbench as UNC MP, won't take instructions from PP whip

Herbert Volney, MP: "...the people want me as the independent voice of St Joseph."

The Trinidad Guardian reported Thursday that Herbert Volney would sit in Parliament as a UNC MP but won't be taking instructions from the People's Partnership whip. 

The paper quoted the fired Justice Minister as saying that he consulted with his constituents in St Joseph and that is what they told him to do. He also told the paper people in St Joseph are deeply hurt about his dismissal.
“The feedback received from constituents all over so far is that they have been very hurt by what has happened. I didn’t quite expect that but they are very supportive of me. 

“They have said they want me remain in Parliament and to speak for them as a UNC MP but they also want me to be able to represent them freely and independently in the House. I can only do that if I am not under the PP whip. If I am under the PP whip, I can’t be free to speak as I would have to toe the PP Government party line,” Volney told the paper.

“As a UNC MP no longer under the PP whip, I will still continue to support the Government, but constructively criticise if things are not in the best interest of my constituents...

“I feel confident I have a mandate to remain in the Parliament for the rest of my term and the people want me as the independent voice of St Joseph.”

Volney resigned his job as a judge in 2010 to run as a UNC candidate in the general election in St Joseph. He beat the incumbent PNM MP, Kennedy Swaratsingh by nearly three thousand votes. Volney received 10,835 votes; Swaratsingh got 7,781.