Senior Political Reporter
“Maha Neemakaram!”
United National Congress frontline parliamentarians have trashed statements by colleagues Anita Haynes-Alleyne and Rushton Paray. Meanwhile, UNC MP Barry Padarath says the UNC has been enduring “undermining and backstabbing” by both, as well as MPs Rai Ragbir and Rodney Charles, for more than two years.
Parliamentarians commented on Monday after Paray clarified his call for UNC national executive elections, saying he is not challenging UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s stewardship.
Paray also said some MPs silently grumbled about the lack of internal polls but capitulated publicly.
Paray’s stance on Natex polls is supported by MPs Charles, Ragbir (who called for leadership polls also) and Haynes-Alleyne.
The only MP who has not commented is Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally, who has had issues with UNC’s leadership and deputy leader on matters involving the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha. He is not seeking nomination for the seat.
UNC Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit slammed Paray last Sunday.
Yesterday, Padarath said, “MPs Haynes, Paray, Ragbir and Charles are engaged in a deceitful charade. They’re using the Natex election (where the leadership isn’t up for challenge) as an opener to destabilise the party and ultimately attack Mrs Persad-Bissessar.
“We as a party have been enduring the undermining and the backstabbing for over two years in the environment of hushed tones. Their plan is to use the Natex election to train their guns on Mrs Persad-Bissessar.”
He added, “Haynes’ media salvo was part of the passive-aggressive approach carefully calculated to respond to parliamentary colleagues to give the impression that this has nothing to do with the leader, when we know for a fact that it does. The commonality that exists with Haynes, Paray and others is vaulting ambition to parachute into UNC’s hierarchy without putting in the work.”
He said, “Anita was gifted with a UNC safe seat at a time when no one knew who she was, and she had no impressive track record in the party. That’s what Mr Panday would have called a Maha Neemakaram (ungrateful). Anita has never expressed issues with the Natex or the leader but, for quite a while, has openly engaged in leadership ambitions of her own if she is to be truthful. Therefore, having found herself in the circumstances that she has with Paray and a few dissidents, I await the outcome ...”
Padarath added, “The question must now be asked: who betrayed the UNC in the electoral college in March 2023 by voting against UNC’s nominee? Was Miss Haynes part of a conspiracy to undermine her own party? Did Mr Paray lead a conspiracy to betray the UNC? Were Ragbir and Charles’ votes among the three to betray the UNC?”
UNC chairman Dave Tancoo said, “The tendency to disrespect and insult parliamentary colleagues and members of the UNC is born of supreme arrogance. It’s disdain for the very persons whose backs and whose decades of work, gave them the very office they now hold.
“We’re in Lent, a period that includes the betrayal of Christ and a period of fasting and repentance. We’re also in the period of Ramadan when our Muslim brothers and sisters fast to atone for sins and nourish their relationship with God. We’re in the period of Holi when an attempt to destroy Prahalad, a devotee of God, resulted in the extinction of Holika by the very fire she started.
“During this period of repentance, I urge all interested in continuing to build on the foundations of those who went before to put ego aside and let us continue the positive momentum towards government.”
Failed mutiny –Jearlean
UNC deputy leader Jearlean John said, “The contrived complaint that there has been a too aggressive response to ‘a reasonable request for internal elections’ is simply people attempting to play smart with foolishness after their major miscalculation. They’re now trying to back out of a failed mutiny that lacked support.”
John said to suggest they acknowledge and honour Persad-Bissessar is dishonest and apprehensive.
“This is a classic case of overreach and getting high on one’s own supply. What has not been placed in the public domain by the same folks who deliberately and cynically enabled all of this unwarranted public discourse is an attempt to spin and feign innocence and piety.
“UNC’s history is replete with those who, prior and present, take for granted the fact that they’re comfortably ensconced in some of UNC’s safest seats, requiring no sweat or hustle, those who fool themselves into thinking that it’s by the sweat of their own brow that they now inhabit UNC’s prized political space.”
John said UNC members have no tolerance “for those who deliberately misunderstand, misinterpret, misrepresent, and further take for granted their decades of loyalty, blood, sweat, and tears”.
“The backlash playing out in the public domain is a well-needed dose of reality and the clarity of where loyalty lies,” she said.