PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):
DISGRUNTLED UNITED National Congress (UNC) legislator Gerald Yetming has called on the party's chairman, Basdeo Panday, to write an official letter to President George Maxwell Richards outlining his support for Winston Dookeran as
the new opposition leader in Parliament.
Yetming, who has publicly stated his non-support for Panday and has taken a 'back seat' in the Parliament, said that Panday must stop using the Constitution conveniently in order to remain in the post.
"He hides behind the Constitution. But, to put in effect the change, Mr. Panday has to be the first one to write the president. His hiding behind the constitution, to me, is very disingenuous".
Panday has made it clear that the office of the leader of the opposition is not biscuit that he can just hand over and that President Richards is the only person who has the power to appoint the opposition leader.
Dookeran, who was elected unopposed as the party leader, told the media here that he is convinced that Panday does not want him to become Opposition Leader.
The move to take the issue to the president is being headed by UNC's deputy political leader, Jack Warner, following a statement by Panday last week that if he steps down, there would be too much infighting in the party.
But at a press conference on the weekend, Warner said that Panday's days as leader of the opposition were numbered.
Yetming, who served as finance minister in the Panday administration, said that writing the President would provide Dookeran, a former Central Bank governor, with the authority he needs to prepare the party for the next general election.
Yetming, who supported the views expressed by Warner, also hinted at the possibility of Panday not being included among the list of candidates to contest the elections.
"The question we have to ask is what will give the UNC the best chance to win the next general election. We have to put forward a team that will win the respect of the national community and not just UNC supporters," Yetming, a former banker said.
Panday, who was elected un-opposed as the UNC's Chairman, said that the swearing in of the new officers would take place following the Hindu and Muslim religious festivals this week.
