UNC to discuss Ragbir's fate after he voted with Government

The United National Congress (UNC) is expected to discuss the fate of Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir at the first meeting of its newly elected national executive in the evening on June 24.

A senior party official told Newsday the newly elected executive will be sworn in on June 24 at its Mulchan Seuchan Road, Chaguanas headquarters and will immediately host its first meeting.

While Ragbir's fate is not officially slated for discussion, the official said it is highly likely it will come up. Once the meeting is over, the party will hold its cottage meeting, scheduled to begin at 7 pm.

On June 21 Ragbir broke ranks in the House of Representatives when he voted in favour of the government's Whistleblower Protection Bill.

Soon afterwards, he told Newsday he put the country's interest, and his conscience, first. "Well, basically I made a decision – having looked at the Whistleblower Bill, I think it is very important at this point in time that we look at the country, we look at crime, and we have to do so collectively."

Since then he has received a mix of condemnation and praise from the public.

Amid the rise of a dissident faction in the UNC ahead of the June 15 national executive elections, political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said anyone who broke party lines would be expelled from the UNC, in accordance with its constitution.

Ragbir later said he anticipated he would get the boot for his decision. The MP was among five who began challenging the status quo of the party ahead of the election, and also ran for the position of deputy political leader in the United Patriots slate, headed by Mayaro MP Rushton Paray.

Paray was first to speak out against the party earlier this year, calling for the election to be held when due.

Ragbir joined his challenge to the party's operations followed by Tabaquite MP Anita Haynes-Alleyne, Naparima MP Rodney Charles and Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally.