COP to hold special assembly on March 15 to determine political leader

THE FATE of interim Congress of the People (COP) political leader Prakash Ramadhar will more than likely be determined on March 15 when the party holds its special assembly to discuss the leadership of the organisation.

In a signed notice sent to media houses on January 25, COP interim chairman Londsdale Williams said, “In accordance with article 17 (1) notice is hereby given of the special assembly meeting scheduled to be held on March 15, at 4 pm at a venue to be determined.”

In a brief interview afterwards, Williams told Newsday, “We were served a legal letter by one of our executive members, questioning the process by which Mr Ramadhar was initially appointed and based on the articles of our constitution, calling for the proper process to be undertaken. So at the special assembly, we just want to ensure that the COP abides by the constitution it is governed by.”

Notice of the upcoming special assembly came one month after Ramadhar called on Williams to provide him with information about the COP’s operations. Ramadhar had given him a deadline of December 27.

In a signed letter dated December 23, bearing the COP’s insignia, Ramadhar said, “Given the urgency of the state of decay the party has been allowed to fall into and the impending general elections, I require these reports to be presented to me on or before December 27, 2024.”

He had asked Williams for a complete list of all national executive and national council members (elected or appointed, dates of their appointment and their titled positions), minutes of the last ten national executive meetings, the financial health of the party (with a copy of current accounts detailing income and expenditure over the last three years) and a report on the current active membership of the party.

Williams claimed Ramadhar, a former St Augustine MP, was never chosen as COP interim leader.

Ramadhar, in a Newsday interview on December 20, said he was appointed interim leader after former interim leader Kirt Sinnette resigned on December 9.

But in a statement on December 22, Williams said, “As chairman of the COP I would like to clear up any misconceptions in the media of our natex having met on Tuesday 17th December 2024 (or any other date) to endorse or ratify any position or positions with the COP or by the COP.”

“For the record, I wish to state that neither our national executive nor our national council have met to endorse the appointment of an interim political leader as per articles 17 and 18 of our constitution.”

Williams promised, “as soon as such decisions are made...our membership and then the population will be notified.”

The COP was formed on September 10, 2006, by former government minister Winston Dookeran. The party was a member of the UNC-led People’s Partnership government which won the 2010 general election and served one five-year term.