Dookeran: Carolyn is woman of steel

Winston Dookeran
Winston Dookeran

YVONNE WEBB

Congress of the People (COP) founder Winston Dookeran has described the newly elected leader Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan as a “woman of steel.”

In an e-mail response to the party’s internal elections which saw approximately one per cent of members casting their votes for the two contenders, Seepersad-Bachan and Dr Sharon Gopaul-Mc Nicholls, Dookeran said, in spite of the many challenges the party he once led faced during and out of the People’s Partnership, the party continued to germinate.

Commenting on the poor showing of the 40,000 members who failed to participate in Sunday’s process, Dookeran said he was hopeful that the party would grow. “My reflection is, the COP in the politics of our country is a mustard seed, not allowed to grow in a toxic political climate, but continues to germinate.”

The former party leader, who is in Washington, commended Seepersad-Bachan for demonstrating “steel” in staying the course in the party which helped to form the People’s Partnership coalition government under the leadership of former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Dookeran said Seepersad-Bachan, who received 416 of the 589 votes cast, and Gopaul-McNicholls, who amassed 168 votes, should be proud of that feat. Seepersad-Bachan said, although the party had hit rock bottom, she was excited about rebuilding to a formidable force that could contest the next election.

However, Nicole Dyer-Griffith, who was denied the opportunity to vie for leadership, said, “To be able to motivate and mobilise 99 per cent of persons (who rejected the election process) to encourage them to participate in any process is going to be challenging for even the best of us. Much more for those who were only able to garner one per cent of the voters, to come out.”

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