[UPDATED] Bharath: I can get UNC into government

Friday 30 October 2020

FORMER trade minister Vasant Bharath promised to take the United National Congress (UNC) into Government at the next general election if he is elected leader.

The former St Augustine MP launched his bid to lead the UNC in its internal elections due on December 6 at a media briefing at Cyrus Trace, San Juan on Friday, live-streamed on social media. Also present were former Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial and attorney Larry Lalla

“Do you want to be in Government in the next five years, or in Opposition for the next ten years?” Bharath asked party supporters.

"Can you survive another five years of the PNM? What about another 15 years of the PNM?"

He vowed to unite the party, give members a real say in how constituencies are run, and expand into Tobago.

"When we do all these things, I promise you we will return to Government."

Bharath invited those wishing to join his slate for the UNC national executive elections to contact him at .

“We have the brightest and best, but they are stifled and suffocated.”

Rejecting claims of washing dirty laundry in public, he quipped that the laundry basket had long been full, and there was no private forum to air such issues.

Clearly aiming at UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Bharath said any leader has a certain lifespan.

He said the UNC must no longer play second fiddle to its leader.

“My role is to build UNC party groups. There are no functioning party groups in TT as far as the UNC is concerned.”

Bharath said many UNC members had never heard of a constituency congress, the party’s most important organ, which recommends candidate to become MPs and councillors.

“It is deliberate, to ensure there are no structures and institutions in the organisation (UNC), because then you become accountable.”

Vowing to fight for reform even if he loses the leadership election, Bharath pointed out, “This party has lost every single election it has fought against Keith Rowley and the PNM since 2010.”

He said after the 2020 general election loss, he had decided he had to do something to help the party get back into government.

“Clearly the formula we’ve been using since 2010 has not worked.

“It is unlikely that if you have lost 11 times successively, you are likely to succeed on the 12th.”

Newsday sought reactions from several key UNC politicians to Bharath's bid to unseat Persad-Bissessar.

We asked Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal if he intended to throw his hat in the ring for the leadership, joining Persad-Bissessar and Bharath.

Moonilal replied, "Well my comment to you would be 'I don't have a hat, so I'll have to buy a hat to throw in the ring.' At this time I don't have a hat.

"But I will be looking on and at the more appropriate time I will make a comment. I do not own a hat so it will be very difficult to throw it in the ring. I'll have to buy one."

Davendranath Tancoo speaking solely in his role as Oropouche West MP told Newsday he fully endorsed Persad-Bissessar.

Newsday asked about Bharath's claim that Persad-Bissessar had reached the end of her political shelf-life, but he could advance the UNC.

Tancoo replied, "My response to that would be that Vasant is entitled to his opinion, but he is not even on the shelf to have a shelf-life. The party has its processes. He is welcome to collect his nomination form and apply to become a candidate." With at least two probable leadership candidates, would express any personal preference?

"Speaking on behalf of myself, Davendranath Tancoo, Oropouche West MP, I fully support Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar to be the next leader of the UNC."

Was he feeling much support in the party for her? "Absolutely," he replied. "She is going to beat him by many-to-one, again."

Ramdial told Newsday of her support for Bharath. "I am in full support of him."

She said the UNC needs new leadership and a new national executive (natex) whose election she complained was overdue by one year.

"I'll throw my hat in the ring for a position. I'm a bit unsure about which position, but it's a work in progress. I'm part of Vasant's team."

Ramdial said the UNC needs new leadership and new management.

"We have lost two general elections with the same managers and same leader. Just by losing the second election..." she said to justify her call to axe Persad-Bissessar. "It should have been the easiest election to beat the PNM who were on their back foot. We let them snatch victory from us.

"The political leader is fully aware of how we all feel. She knows there is a growing sentiment on the ground against her and her natex."

Ramdial alleged that in recent years, democracy has been stifled in the party, with she plans to raise publicly at virtual meetings of the Bharath slate.

"You've seen the arms of the party, its institutions, totally shut down." She alleged the party has had no assembly nor congress of its Women's Arm, Youth Arm, Parliamentary Arm nor constituency assemblies, nor even a National Assembly. "We have not had those activities to make the party stronger and grow the membership."

She alleged a total shut-down of democracy in the party, pointing to her own non-selection in the last election. "My constituency executive was totally behind me, but my screening was a sham."

Ramdial said the UNC has many issues to sort out, including accommodation of its headquarters, which she lamented is rumoured to be moving to San Fernando and out of the sugar belt.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

FORMER trade minister and St Augustine MP Vasant Bharath launched his bid to lead the United National Congress (UNC) by promising to take the party into government from its now allegedly moribund state.

He was addressing a media briefing at Cyrus Trace, San Juan on Friday, also live-streamed on social media.

Also present were former Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial and attorney Larry Lalla

“Do you want to be in government in five years, or be in opposition for the next ten years?” Bharath asked party supporters.

Vowing to give members a real say in how the party is run (including in Tobago), he invited those wishing to join his slate for the UNC national executive elections on December 6 to contact him at .