Rejected—again.
That’s the fate of the motion that former United National Congress MPs Dr Fuad Khan and Ramona Ramdial had proposed for debate at Sunday’s UNC National Congress.
UNC general secretary Peter Kanhai yesterday said the motion, which proposed that the old guard of the party be welcomed back into the fold among other things, didn’t qualify to be raised. He indicated this in a reply to Ramdial yesterday.
Ramdial had seconded Khan’s motion.
Khan, who filed the motion on Wednesday, said it was designed to return the UNC to government. It involved bringing back all past and inactive UNC members. Part of the motion also involved strengthening the UNC’s National Executive without removing leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, he’d stressed.
Khan had expressed concern that there was no movement in the party and with general elections two years away, the UNC had to start putting things in place from now. Attorney Larry Lalla, who supported the motion, had also spoken of UNC’s “failings.” Ramdial, however, had anticipated the motion wouldn’t have been allowed.
Yesterday, UNC general secretary Kanhai’s following letter to Ramdial confirmed the situation:
“Please be advised that I write to inform after due consideration, your motion does not qualify to be raised.
“I take this opportunity to remind you and your co-sponsor that only a few months ago in the UNC internal elections, you were both soundly rejected by the UNC membership.
“I further remind you that Mrs Persad-Bissessar was not gifted the leadership of the UNC in 2010. She earned the honour to lead the UNC by defeating the then-UNC leader in the internal party elections. She has since retained that honour by winning the overwhelming majority of votes from the UNC membership in all subsequent UNC internal elections.
“Under the leadership of Mrs Persad-Bissessar, the UNC is focused on diversity, meritocracy and a mix of youth and competent experience. Hard work, proper planning, efficient execution of tasks, promotion of new talent and merit-based recognition are our philosophy.
“The Political Leader, Natex and UNC membership have unequivocally rejected the politics of caste, class, family connections, segregation, discrimination and dynasty. We are committed to promoting the children of the rank-and-file UNC membership who have educated and qualified themselves to be the next generation of leaders.
“Please be informed that the Political Leader and members of the Natex have been actively engaging many members of all the groups mentioned in your correspondence. Further active discussions are also occurring with other political entities, members of civil society, business groups and non-aligned individuals.
“The UNC reiterates that all are welcome to work with us to improve the lives of our citizens. We encourage you and your co-sponsor to contact your constituency executives, Local Government representatives and Members of Parliament so you can be updated on our party activities and outreach.
“If you cannot, we urge you both to access online our Facebook pages, website and numerous press conferences and public meetings so you will be better informed in the future.
“We assure you both that the Political Leader, Natex and UNC membership have your best interest at heart. We hope you can eventually work with us to promote a new generation of UNC leaders.”
Khan, Ramdial still hope for change
Contacted yesterday, Ramdial said she expected the motion wouldn’t have been accepted.
“But they didn’t say on what grounds. So, we’ll be there Sunday and since they’ve said they’re engaging with others, I’ll be looking to see if labour leaders and those from the NTA, PDP, PEP, MSJ will also attend.”
She said another anonymously issued motion which arose at the same time of Khan’s motion on Wednesday, had nothing to do with Khan’s motion and wasn’t theirs.
That motion was circulated on social media and called for Persad-Bissessar to step down in three months. It, however, bore no proposer’s name and no signature.
Yesterday, however, UNC officials trashed that type of “propaganda,” which they said wouldn’t have been considered for Congress debate without a proposer, seconder and other information.
Meanwhile, Khan, who lost the 2022 leadership election to Persad-Bissessar, said, “It is sad—the approach taken by the UNC’s general secretary, who would have obviously discussed the motion among UNC National Executive members and they’ve come to their decision to continue in the manner they’re presently doing.
“So, I haven’t much to say, except I believe the NAR party has completely taken over the UNC —since UNC’s power players are former NAR members—and UNC’s membership has slept and allowed it. But I’ll continue assisting people. Things have to happen and something will. As they say, God is a Trini.”
Khan also said he was incorrectly quoted by the Trinidad Express about the motion and “removing Kamla.” He said he was correctly quoted in the T&T Guardian that the issue involved strengthening UNC’s executive without moving the political leader.
“But I’m now being attacked based on a wrong motion by people singing for their supper.”
Khan said he yesterday wrote to the Express seeking correction of the erroneous article and a retraction of parts that caused discomfort to him and Ramdial.
UNC PRO Kirk Meighoo also chided the newspaper and called for correction on “an injurious factual error” concerning their headline. He said (Khan’s) motion didn’t say “Kamla Must Go.”
(Gail Alexander)