Paray: Keep democracy alive in UNC, call internal elections

Mayaro MP Rushton Paray is not afraid of being made an outcast from the UNC for demanding that the party's internal election be called when it is constitutionally due in June.

"Today we are all making this public demand because we have a grave concern that there is an attempt from the executive to devalue the UNC's internal election by suggesting it is not necessary or not even needed," the Opposition MP said on Friday.

"Despite the fact that no general election has been called, our leadership is pushing a bogus narrative that says we cannot have our internal elections because there is a general election 'soon.' To me, that is not acceptable."

Paray believes the talk of a general election was simply a ruse intended to suppress the voice of the membership.

The Opposition MP spoke at a press conference at the Couva Chamber of Commerce Hall, where he called on his colleagues to stand up for what is right and decent.

None of his parliamentary colleagues were at the hall, which is next door to the constituency office of his colleague Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh.

He said his colleagues' absences might be due to Private Members' Day in Parliament.

But Paray also said he was cautioned by a nameless colleague within the UNC that holding the conference would make him an outcast. He was unfazed, he said, because he had to speak out about upholding the integrity of the nation's institutions, including the UNC.

"Before I came here today, I got a very interesting call from one of my colleagues. He said, 'Paray, you have a long and bright future in politics. You are a good man, you are decent. But what you are doing is committing political suicide,'" Paray said.

"My response to him was that might very well be the case, and perhaps after today, I may very well be an outcast as well.

"(But) the option presented to me was that I must stay silent. Silence is a cancer that grows."

A group of supporters of Paray, including former Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial, activist Victor Roberts and councillor Henry Awong, clapped in approval.

Paray added, "I told him if my one voice is me committing political suicide, then the silence of every one of you is committing political genocide, because we are putting at risk the future of the hundreds of thousands of members and supporters who have found a home in the UNC. We will not allow that."

Paray said it was abundantly clear that if the internal election is not held, it will mean that the party's leadership will continue to fail the thousands of members by denying their right to have their voices heard.

He said it also means the UNC leadership will remain unprepared, rudderless and weak.

"If these UNC internal elections are not held, it will mean the UNC will be destined to lose a third successive general election. If these UNC internal elections are not held, it will mean that there will be no hope in our nation in removing this corrupt and incompetent PNM regime," he said.

"As members of the UNC, we cannot demand accountability from the Government while turning a blind eye to the erosion of our party's own constitution and democratic principles."

Without referring to party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar by name, Paray said he has an excellent relationship with her.

He also said the most important people in the UNC are not the leader, MPs or senators.

"The most important people in the UNC are the ordinary members. If the membership re-elects the current executive, then so be it."

He declared that the party was strong and could self-correct.

Paray said he had raised his concerns with Persad-Bissessar and had written to her, but had not yet received a response.

Asked if he intends to challenge her for the leadership position, Paray replied, "I am very capable and competent to occupy any post that is offered to me, based on my ability and talent. If the membership feels that my ability and talent could put me in any position, then I will accept.

"I have a contribution to make to the development and strengthening of our party and to the development of TT. I am not going to be sidelined and put myself out of that opportunity."

He described himself as a loyal UNC member and hard worker. On ambition and talent, he said ambition was the fuel and talent was his track record.

He challenged anybody who wanted to measure his talents to go to Mayaro and find out.