Smaller political parties meet Monday on coalition talks

THE leaders of some of the smaller political parties will meet on Monday to continue their discussions about a potential partnership to contest this year's general election.

This was disclosed by former prime minister Basdeo Panday.

Panday declined to reveal the location or time of the meeting. But he said the meeting would only involve the leaders of these parties.

On whether this meeting will lead to an agreement to form a coalition or be a prelude to further talks, Panday replied, "Democracy has its advantages and disadvantages."

He said some decisions could be reached faster than others. Panday disagreed with the view that a coalition of small political parties could not influence the outcome of the election. He said the make-up of the electorate means the PNM and UNC could each win one-third of the electorate.

Panday said if a coalition of small parties could win at least 30 per cent of the votes, the possibility exists that it could be in a position to determine the balance of power.

The COP, Louis Lee Sing's Port of Spain People's Movement and Patriotic Front (led by Panday's daughter Mickela) are among the parties involved in the coalition talks.

Last week, MSJ political leader David Abdulah said his party had not been involved in those talks and he does not know what their outcome would be. The MSJ opened nominations for general election candidates on March 5. Former UNC Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Collin Partap did not see a third party having any impact on the election.

Partap, who was fired as a government minister after failing to submit to a breathalyser test, joined the PNM last October. He said he would not be offering himself as a candidate for the PNM, but was willing to help the party in any other role, to win the election.

In February, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she was confident that a coalition of small parties could not affect the UNC's chances to win the election.

Last year, Persad-Bissessar said the UNC would not form any coalition with any political party for the election. In February, she was non-committal about meeting with Panday when asked by the media at her annual Kiddies Carnival event in Penal.