Unity or not?
Up to Saturday UNC party hierarchy officials could not say if UNC MP Ganga Singh’s unity resolution is on the agenda for today’s UNC Assembly.
“I haven’t seen the agenda said UNC chairman Peter Kanhai on Saturday.
“In our party’s constitution there is a procedure for motions and resolutions and the general secretary Dave Tancoo has to make that call (on the resolution). He prepares the programme for the Assembly. He’s overseas, but he can prepare it from there,” he said.
Speculation has been simmering whether the unity call will be approved for the Assembly and it may overtake the Assembly’s thrust which is expected to place UNC on an election footing and open nominations.
Singh and UNC MP Fuad Khan last week submitted the resolution for Assembly debate on Singh’s call for UNC to seek unity with other groups, bidding for a stronger political “instrument” for elections to defeat the ruling PNM.
Singh launched the call last December at a function attended by former UNC frontliners Basdeo Panday, Jack Warner and Vasant Bharath who also called for unity.
UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was cold on the issue initially, but after Singh proposed the call for Assembly debate, she said all were welcome.
Singh said yesterday he had not received word if the resolution was approved for the Assembly’s programme. Tancoo did not reply to calls.
UNC deputy leader David Lee said last Friday he was unaware if the motion was approved. Singh said he was not worried.
“There are two views on the party - to continue as we are or to seek unity. I’ve done my part. I expect robust debate on the matter,” he said.
UNC MP Bhoe Tewarie said, “In the end the party will emerge well. In a democratic party people must be allowed different views and have an avenue to express that. But the party’s culture must be strong enough to allow for respectful engagement of issues. You don’t have to agree with a point of view to allow a view to be expressed. But the larger goals and objectives must always be kept in mind , you cannot divide a party in the quest for unity.”
“The objective must be to unite the party, strengthen it, build a broader base of unity and give the leader the wherewithal to make it more attractive both for election victory and effective governance thereafter. You cannot weaken a leader’s hand in the political engagement that involves a complex process of navigation and formation of alliances to consolidate a united party which can attract larger numbers beyond UNC’s base,” he said.