Volney an asset to PNM—Lee Sing

Port-of-Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing says as long as Herbert Volney remains as the MP for St Joseph, he will continue to be an asset to the People’s National Movement. Lee Sing said so at the PNM’s 44th Annual Convention at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. He was responding to a resolution proposed by St Joseph constituency public relations officer Ronald Huggins for Volney to resign his seat in the House of Representatives.

“Strategically, this is not in the best interest of the PNM,” Lee Sing said. “As long as Volney is in St Joseph, it offers the PNM an opportunity far greater for us politically to use him as a whipping boy to constantly remind this population that not only have they fired the wrong man, but that Clause 34 will never go away.

“I don’t believe that the PNM should encourage by-elections that we may not win. “In this regard, I wish to caution the convention and the party as to the wisdom in pursuing the removal of Volney who continues to be an asset to the PNM.” When contacted by telephone for his reply to Lee Sing’s comments, Volney said Lee Sing was right when he said the PNM will not win their next by-election but was wrong to think of him as a whipping boy.

“I am an asset to the constituents of St Joseph and to the national community and it will take a lot more people than a PNM convention passing a resolution for me to step down as the member for St Joseph,” Volney said. “I believe I am very popular in my constituency,” he said.

“I think I do a lot of work for my constituents, I represent the constituency across party lines. “Lee Sing has never won an election other than from among his colleagues within the PNM...I am well regarded as a man of the people on the ground, unlike the mayor who wears his chain and pontificates from up on high.”

Volney said he maintained a presence with his people in St Joseph. He considered himself the Robin Hood of the community, helping the poor and supporting all groups who asked for assistance, whether they came from areas known to support the People’s Partnership or not.