Dookeran bows out COP leadership race

Finance Minister Winston Dookeran broke down in tears yesterday as he announced that he will not be contesting the leadership position in the Congress of the People’s (COP) July 3 internal election. Sources within the COP admitted that Dookeran was up against “mounting pressure” from two quarters—members of his four-year-old party and in the People’s Partnership Government. For months, sources revealed, there had been calculated attempts to undermine Dookeran’s task in Government while he also tried desperately to serve the needs of his dwindling members who were demanding URP jobs, Cepep work and contracts, leading to agitation. There were people within the party who felt that he needed to step down as he was not, in their view, “actively seeking the interest of his members.” A Dookeran loyalist, who spoke off the record, said: “There are all kinds of agendas at play. Dookeran does not have the inclination or temperament to be running down URP and Cepep jobs for this and that one; That is not where his head is. Dookeran is not the type to fight anyone.”

Another factor that has worked against Dookeran, the source said, was the arrangement he had put in place to pay Clico policyholders and HCU membership in the 2010/2011 budget. “He fell out of favour because of this and has been under pressure.” Dookeran, the source added, had also hinted to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that he would demit the Finance Ministry after two years in office. The source said Dookeran did not want to accept this ministry but Persad-Bissessar insisted. Sources said a former UNC minister—an adviser to Anil Roberts, who has thrown his hat in the leadership race—has been “working vigorously against Dookeran on the grounds.”

Mayers bats for Dookeran
Minutes after an emotional Dookeran announced at COP’s Flagship House in Woodbrook that he would not be contesting the party’s leadership, COP member, Robert Mayers stated that given all the bashing Dookeran had taken in the last year as Minister of Finance “from all kinds of clowns who did not have a clue of what it takes to run a country, I think he is probably at a point where he needs to focus on the Government.” Mayers said when a Minister of Finance takes a Budget to Parliament, it means that it has already had the blessings of the Cabinet. “And when you take pieces of that budget that was passed in both Houses of Parliament, that was passed unanimously, you proceed to form an inter ministerial committee to look at certain aspects of the Clico thing when the Parliament has already taken a decision on it, to me it is not just a contempt of Parliament, it’s also disrespectful to the Minister of Finance.” Mayers said probably Dookeran has taken the COP to a point where it is a good time to hand over, but could not say whether it was a right or wrong decision. Mayers also said he did not think that Dookeran was looking for an exit strategy from the COP. “I think the pressures...and I mean serious pressures at the Ministry of Finance would have persuaded him that he can not do justice to both.” In Mayers’ view, Dookeran has been taking too much “unnecessary licks in the public domain.” Mayers said he tried his best to defend Dookeran, but it did not help.