Rambally slams Kamla's 'failed leadership'

CHAGUANAS West MP Dinesh Rambally says the Opposition UNC will not win next year's general election because of "the continued failure of the leadership of Kamla Persad-Bissessar."

Rambally made this declaration at a news conference at the Divali Nagar Site, Chaguanas on April 12.

While endorsing the UNC's position that the PNM remains at the heart of Trinidad and Tobago's troubles, Rambally said the facts show the UNC is in no position to do any better should it be elected to government next year.

"The UNC in its present form, cannot win any election, and certainly not the next general election. The party has to be 'revamped, reorganised and revitalised.' Today I place my political life on the altar in the hope that I can cause meaningful change within the UNC."

Rambally's action follows that of Mayaro MP Rushton Paray, who has openly challenged Persad-Bissessar to ensure UNC internal elections scheduled for June are held.

Paray has also warned that failure to hold those elections will not leave the UNC in a strong position to defeat the PNM in the general election.

Persad-Bissessar has criticised Paray for his statements, called him a "PNM infiltrator" and threatened to expel him from the UNC.

Paray said he had no fear of Persad-Bissessar's threats.

Rambally took a similar position.

"We must be clear in our minds that a legitimate critique of the leadership tenure of Mrs Persad Bissessar is not an attack on the UNC Party. The UNC existed before Mrs Persad Bissessar and it will continue to exist after."

He also said there is no evidence to show that Persad-Bissessar is capable of leading the UNC to victory next year.

"After losing two consecutive general elections, I have seen nothing from Mrs Persad-Bisessar that indicates she has learnt from her mistakes or indeed has the capacity to correct them. We can’t keep singing the song that the best government ever was under Kamla when after winning in 2010 with 29 seats to 12 PNM, we proceeded to lose the 2015 general elections and lose again in 2020."

Rambally submitted his nomination package at UNC headquarters in Chaguanas to contest Chaguanas West again in 2025. Paray also submitted his nomination.