San Fernando mayor Marlene Coudray has challenged political leader of the Congress of the People Prakash Ramadhar to bring the evidence that she was nominated by the party for the post. Ramadhar, who spoke at a news conference at COP's operations centre, Charlieville, called for Coudray's removal as mayor.
He said it was a breach of the Fyzabad Accord agreed to by all members of the People's Partnership. But Coudray, responding to Ramadhar's call for her removal, said: "I will not respond to that unless the COP can provide evidence that they nominated me to the office of the mayor of San Fernando."
She has been at the centre of controversy since her surprise entry in the recently-contested United National Congress internal elections. She contested and won one of the posts of deputy political leader of the party. She was one of the candidates on Housing and Environment Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal's Nationalists slate.
Coudray, who spoke briefly with the T&T Guardian, appeared surprised by Ramadhar's call as she reiterated her call for the Legal Affairs Minister to bring his evidence. "If they cannot provide that evidence then they are not eligible to ask to have me removed unless they could provide evidence that they nominated me," she added.
Coudray has stated in the past she was appointed mayor by the UNC. In response to Ramadhar's comments on the Fyzabad Accord, Coudray said: "I am not a party to, nor am I privy to any accord. I am just a citizen who exercised my right. I do not know about any accord." Asked if she expected that backlash following her shift in allegiance, Coudray asked: "What backlash?"
The mayor said she would not be deterred from her duties. Leader of Government Business in the House, Dr Roodal Moonilal, was surprised at Ramadhar's comments. "I was not aware the COP nominated her or appointed the mayor of San Fernando. I was not in the leadership at that time," he added.
Moonilal was guarded in his comments on Ramadhar's call. "The leaders of the Partnership are due to meet on Thursday (tomorrow) and that matter is best discussed with the leadership. "It will be premature of me to comment on that since it has not been raised by the leadership privately," Moonilal added.
The newly re-elected UNC deputy political leader added: "I wish not to have a public dispute with any leaders in the Partnership." However, Moonilal stood by Coudray's decision to contest the party's internal elections. He said: "Ms Coudray, like every citizen, has a constitutional right to join or belong to any political party of her choice and until the constitution is amended that still obtains. The Partnership is very solid. We always have had minor challenges and I am sure that this is just one," he added.
Yesterday Movement for Social Justice leader David Abdulah, in response to Ramadhar's statement, said: "He is right to call for the removal. He is within his right."