Griffith: No surprise in COP/UNC alliance

NATIONAL Transformation Alliance (NTA) political leader Gary Griffith says he was not surprised by a public appearance of Congress of the People (COP) political leader Prakash Ramadhar, members of the Opposition UNC and its "coalition of interests" (COI) at a rally to mark the third anniversary of the February 25, 2022 Paria diving tragedy.

The rally took place at the Pointe-a-Pierre roundabout on February 22.

The UNC was represented by MPs David Lee, Rudranath Indarsingh and Ravi Ratiram; Opposition Senator Wade Mark, party PRO Dr Kirk Meighoo and candidates Michael Dowlath and John Michael Alibocus.

Also present were Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) leader Phillip Edward Alexander and members of the Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU).

The PEP, Laventille Outreach for Vertical Enrichment (LOVE) and some members of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) are members of the UNC's COI.

The OWTU is a member of JTUM.

In a WhatsApp comment after the rally, Griffith said, "Birds of a feather. Show me your political allies and I will tell you who you are."

At the rally, Ramadhar described Lee, Indarsingh and Ratiram as his "brothers."

He identified Alexander as a friend and client.

Ramadhar praised the OWTU for advocating on behalf of the divers' families.

Persad-Bissessar has said the NTA is the only party the UNC will not form an alliance with for the election because Griffith has insulted the party's executive.

The UNC and NTA had an alliance for the August 2023 local government elections which ended in a 7-7 tie between the PNM and UNC.

Last February, a public rift broke out between Griffith and Persad-Bissessar when Persad-Bissessar accused smaller parties like the NTA of piggybacking on the UNC for its resources. At that time, she said the UNC needed no help from smaller parties to win an election.

Last December, the NTA, COP and Honesty Opportunity Performance Empowerment (HOPE) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to form an alliance to contest the election, under then-interim COP leader Kirt Sinnette.

Ramadhar pulled the COP out of this arrangement when he was reappointed as its political leader this year.

In January, Griffith said this was part of a plan for Ramadhar to persuade the UNC to give him a safe seat to contest in the election, in exchange for creating the illusion of a UNC-COP alliance, convincing non-partisan voters to indirectly support the UNC through the COP, help the UNC win 21 seats and then disregard the non-partisan voters once the UNC forms the government.

St Augustine and Chaguanas West are two constituencies the UNC has not yet selected candidates for.

The former is represented by former UNC vice-chairman Khadijah Ameen.

Ramadhar is a former St Augustine MP, May 2010-September 2015.

The latter is represented by attorney Dinesh Rambally who has publicly questioned Persad-Bissessar's ability to lead the UNC to victory in the election.

Ramadhar has rejected Griffith's claims.

Persad-Bissessar has admitted to speaking with Ramadhar before and after he returned as COP leader.

She said the COP is not part of the UNC's COI.

The Tobago People's Party is also not a part of the COI.

But Persad-Bissessar has not ruled out the possibility of the UNC seeking a coalition with the TPP, led by Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, depending on the election results.