Kamla launches slate for UNC internal elections

LEADER of the United National Congress (UNC) Kamla Persad-Bissessar encouraged her party to unite under her to defeat the People's National Movement (PNM) as she launched her slate for the party's June 26 internal elections.

At the spot where she first drew her proverbial sword in the fight for leadership of the UNC, the Opposition Leader returned on Thursday night to the Tunapuna Hindu School to fend off those seeking to dethrone her.

On June 26, she has one opponent for the leadership, Dr Fuad Khan.

She told the crowd, “In 2010, in this school, I launched my campaign to become political leader and I am back here again today asking for your mandate to lead the party back to government.”

She said she continues to fight politically for her family – the people of TT – and save them from the hands of the "Paedophile National Movement," as she called it, making one of many jabs at the PNM for the night.

“This internal election is just a stepping stone. We must be ready and strong and therefore I am not afraid. They have said everything under the sun about me.

"Maybe you fell down and put God out of your thoughts and voted for the waste of time. Don’t let it happen again! Let us band together.”

Persad-Bissessar said had she been prime minister, she would have removed children from state-run homes after a Cabinet-appointed committee found abuse of all kinds taking place there That finding was detailed last December in a report by the committee, led by Justice Judith Jones, which was laid in Parliament in April.

Persad-Bissessar was not the only speaker to bash the PNM. Senator Anil Roberts called for the party to unite to oust the PNM as he took aim at both the Government and former Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial.

“Any time someone is removed, they hate Kamla, Kamla bad. But if she say. 'Come in Couva North,' they say Kamla sweet. Those type of people must stay far from politics. Politics is about team. We must solve the problem together.”

Roberts added that since 1956 the PNM had divided the opposition by finding "weak people" and offering them trinkets of land, power and position.

“The opposition has splintered since 1956 into 478 different political parties. We say no more! Stand firm in the UNC. We are ready. United, we are strong.”

Khadijah Ameen said under the UNC, every creed and race prospered, adding that even PNM supporters were better off when the UNC was in power. She described Persad-Bissessar as a “uniting force.”

Senator David Nakhid rallied the troops, saying a united UNC could trample the PNM. He said supporters must realise that with Persad-Bissessar, the country would move forward.

Persad-Bissessar announced her full slate, which for the most part is unopposed. Apart from the leadership role, the position of elections officer is also being challenged, by Ramdial, who is going up against Don Sylvester.

Persad-Bissessar’s slate, the Star Team:

Chairman: Dave Tancoo

Deputy political leaders: Dr Roodal Moonilal, David Lee, Jearlean John

Vice-chairman: Khadijah Ameen

Education officer: Vandana Mohit

Research officer: Saddam Hosein

Elections officer: Don Sylvester

Treasurer: Neil Gosine

International relations officer: Wilfred Morris

Party organiser: Ravi Ratiram

South, central, northwest and northeast regional co-ordinators respectively: Shanti Boodram, Barry Padarath, Eli Zakour and Anil Roberts

Tobago regional co-ordinator: Taharqa Obika

Policy and strategy co-ordinator: Sean Sobers