[UPDATED] UNC Diego Martin NE executive members resign

United National Congress (UNC) political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar described recent party resignations as orchestrated and said, despite these, the party registered thousands of new members including those from the unions, the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) and other groups.

In recent weeks, the party saw 30 resignations including seven on Sunday from the UNC's Diego Martin North East executive. The executive’s deputy chairman Ricky Shanklin was among those.

In WhatsApp responses to Newsday, Persad-Bissessar said, “This is just the predicted continuation of the orchestrated childish resignations that has been ongoing over the last month, which will continue until general election.”

She added that it was a total of 30 resignations out of a 125,000 plus membership.

“It will have no effect on the UNC’s general-election campaign just as the previous ones didn’t,” she said.

Recent polling data showed a win in the upcoming April 28 general election and the party was confident, she added.

Speaking directly to some of the issues raised by the former members of the UNC’s Diego Martin North East executive including Shanklin, Persad-Bissessar said the PEP was allocated the two Diego Martin seats (Diego Martin West and Diego Martin North East) based on polling data and sentiment analysis among other analytics.

She said Shanklin screened for the Diego Martin North East constituency but was unsuccessful.

“I’m sure some other people who screened for seats in other constituencies may do the same when informed that they were not selected. That’s just the reality during election season.”

On Sunday, Shanklin and six other executive members sent a resignation letter to Persad-Bissessar, citing issues with PEP contesting two Diego Martin seats under a coalition arrangement.

The letter was signed by the seven members and sent to Persad-Bissessar at 5 am, Shanklin verified in a phone interview. The executive’s education and research officer William Michael Stewart, its treasurer Leothia Lawrence, party organiser Gillian Delves-Alleyne, youth officer Jahzeel Joseph, election officer Athelea Hagley and its PRO Joanne Belgrove-Townsend were the other signing members.

Shanklin said they were informed of the PEP contesting the Diego Martin seats on Friday.

The PEP launched its 2025 campaign on March 22 and announced it would contest three seats as part of the coalition of interests along with the UNC.

PEP’s political leader Philip Alexander will contest Port of Spain/St Ann’s West while Janice Learmond-Criqui will contest Diego Martin West and Brendon Butts will contest Diego Martin North East.

The letter said for years the members worked tirelessly to strengthen the UNC’s presence in Diego Martin North East, build membership and uphold the party’s values in a “traditionally difficult constituency.”

However, it was “unacceptable” that they were now being “pressured” to support PEP’s political leader Philip Edward Alexander and his party. The members claimed they were threatened with being sidelined or blacklisted if they did not do so.

“This blatant act of political coercion is a betrayal of the hard-working, dedicated members who have stood by the UNC through thick and thin.

“Even more disturbing is the hypocrisy of vilifying lifelong UNC members while embracing an individual who spent years viciously attacking both the party and its membership,” the letter said.

Shanklin provided further clarification through a WhatsApp statement on Sunday.

He said he dedicated several years working tirelessly alongside the people of the Diego Martin North East constituency, long before being elected vice chairman of the constituency executive.

The recent developments made it “abundantly clear” that the UNC had no genuine interest in contesting the Diego Martin seats.

“During the last local government elections, several committed UNC members from Diego Martin North East, Central and West expressed their desire to contest various electoral districts.

“Instead the party handed these seats over to its coalition partner, the NTA (the Gary Griffith-led National Transformation Alliance).

“Now, history is repeating itself in the upcoming general elections, with all Diego Martin seats being ceded to the PEP under yet another coalition arrangement.”

Shanklin questioned why the party maintained constituency executives if there was no real interest in contesting these seats.

He said a true national party would contest all 41 seats and not just safe or marginal ones.

“This selective engagement undermines the efforts of those who have worked tirelessly on the ground, believing in the party’s vision.

“It makes no sense to remain in a political party that treats its members as expendable. This is why we made the difficult but necessary decision to resign from the Diego Martin North East constituency executive. We refuse to be pawns in a strategy that prioritises political expediency over genuine representation and grassroots empowerment,” he said.

These seven follow other recent resignations from the party including attorney Larry Lalla, SC, and incumbent MP for Cumuto/Manzanilla Dr Rai Ragbir.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Executive members of the United National Congress (UNC) Diego Martin North East constituency resigned on March 23, citing issues with People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) being made to contest the seat under a coalition arrangement.

A resignation letter signed by seven members including deputy chairman Ricky Shanklin was sent to Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar at 5 am, Shanklin verified in a phone interview.

He said they were informed of the PEP contesting the Diego Martin seats on Friday.

Look out for more on this in Newsday.