United
Political Leader Winston Dookeran read the riot act for Opposition
Members of Parliament, United National Congress (UNC) Senators and
Councillors at a Parliamentary caucus, called to discuss the resignation
of party Chairman Basdeo Panday at the Couva South office of MP
Kelvin Ramnath on Thursday night.
Sources say the tough-talking Dookeran called on the executive of
the UNC to stop the attacks on him, saying that he was not prepared
to be sidelined by the party.
“This nonsense must stop, either I remain in control of the
UNC (as Political Leader), or you all will have to kick me out,”
he told the large gathering which included Opposition Leader Kamla
Persad-Bissessar.
He told them in no uncertain terms that he was not prepared to leave
the party.
Dookeran noted that since he had taken responsibility for the direction
of the party some six months ago, he has not been able to function
as the Political Leader.
He said there had been attempts by the executive to control him,
saying that he was not a leader.
He said some UNC officials were even accusing him of having a CIA
plan to take control of the party.
Dookeran said after his appointment as Political Leader he prepared
a 40-point plan about the transformation of the party, which was
handed over to the executive.
But he said he had heard nothing from the executive so far.
Tempers flared as one member of the executive told Dookeran he was
not a leader, while another from the audience shouted, “you
cannot lead from the backbench”.
Sources say that Dookeran is now prepared to take the “bull
by the horn”, and carry the fight to the executive .
“He is not going to back down and remain silent or he will
pack up and leave,” one Dookeran supporter told TnT Mirror.
He said the audience at the meeting was pro-Panday and took a decision
not to accept Panday’s resignation as UNC Chairman. When time
came for voting, a number of UNC MPs abstained and walked out of
the meeting.
