Gopeesingh chides Khan, Ramona on motion

UNC Chief Operations Officer (COO) Dr Tim Gopeesingh has chastised UNC members Dr Fuad Khan and Ramona Ramdial for saying he supported their motion against the party's national executive.

Speaking during an Opposition media conference on Thursday, Khan asked whether the two were aware that he has been working as the party’s COO for months.

“The entire national executive (natex) is fully supportive of Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the general membership voted convincingly for her to continue as political leader just a few months ago.

"This mischief that has been created by members of the party, it is very sad to see, whereas their attack should be on the PNM, the PM and his government who have been creating enough trouble for the people of the nation," Gopeesingh said.

He asked whether Khan and Ramdial had really been strong members of the UNC, and noted that Persad-Bissessar had been part of the UNC for most of its 32 year history.

“I take strong umbrage to the act that anyone is trying to break our party apart by creating mischief, I don’t associate my name with that my friend Fuad and Ramona and all those others who seem to want to create mischief for the party.

"I remember Fuad very well, don’t do that, don’t put me into your mischief, I ask of you kindly, come and talk to me, let’s rebuild the party. Ramona, you have been given an opportunity by Mrs Bissessar to be part of her team, and you’re very disappointing now. Help us re-build the party instead of creating mischief.”

Gopeesingh was referring to a motion filed with UNC general secretary Peter Kanhai which acknowledged the UNC's failure to win any national election (general or local government) since it lost the September 7, 2015 general election.

The motion's resolution called for Persad-Bissessar and the UNC's natex to find a way to approach, communicate with and bring former past executive and founding UNC members who have been politically inactive, to play a role in "the forward strategy of the party."

There was a fake motion circulating on social media which claimed that the duo was calling for the ousting of the political leader. Khan said the two can bring their motion and it would be dealt with according to the party’s constitution.

“They could bring their motion, the arms of the party are functioning very well, the natex is functioning very well, and there’s a way that if you want to bring this motion, it will be dealt with in accordance with the party’s structure and movement forward.

"So this morning I take this opportunity as the party’s COO to give my unequivocal support to Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar as the political leader of the UNC.”