Former United National Congress ministers—Kevin Ramnarine and Collin Partap and Partap’s father, former ambassador Harry Partap—don’t believe Kamla Persad-Bissessar should seek re-election to the post of political leader.
Partap Jr is supporting deputy leader Roodal Moonilal if he decides to contest the leadership post.
Ramnarine said fatal mistakes were made under Persad-Bissessar’s leadership in UNC’s general election campaign, such as the “No Rowley” thrust, which was conceived and promoted by Naparima MP Rodney Charles.
These were among latest party views on the UNC’s December 5 internal election. Moonilal is expected to announce within coming days whether he will accede to calls within and outside of the party to challenge incumbent Persad-Bissessar.
Former Cumuto-Manzanilla MP Collin Partap said yesterday: “I’m supporting Roodal, I believe it’s time for a change. It’s obvious why Mrs Persad-Bissessar shouldn’t seek re-election. She’s lost five elections in five years. Change is needed.”
Partap was fired as junior national security minister by Persad-Bissessar in 2012 following his refusal to submit to a breathalyser test outside the Zen nightclub.
He had also been rejected as Cumuto/Manzanilla MP and was succeeded by Christine Newallo-Hosein. The latter said last week she supported Persad-Bissessar for the leadership.
Partap’s father, former Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Harry Partap, a former journalist, (whom Persad-Bissessar appointed ambassador to South Africa in 2010 when the People’s Partnership (PP) won the election) is also against Persad-Bissessar contesting the leadership.
Partap Sr, who said he returned last weekend from South Africa, said: “I didn’t support Basdeo Panday in the last leadership elections (in 2010) as I felt he couldn’t take the UNC to government. However, in the September 2015 general election, Mrs Persad-Bissessar was unable to take the PP into government again and she has lost other elections in the term. It’s my view we should seek someone else to lead the party.”
“In the tradition of other political parties when a leader loses, they step down. So she should step aside and let someone else take the reins as we have to restructure the party to get into government again,” he added.
Former energy minister Ramnarine said he was not contesting any executive position but noted:
“We must consider the contribution Mrs Persad-Bissessar has made to national development and appreciate and thank her for her contribution to T&T and for her role as prime minister.
“But in the corporate world, when a company is consistently showing bad results and losing money, one of the first things that is done is that shareholders seek to change the board and CEO. In like manner, in the last two years, the UNC under Mrs Persad-Bissessar’s leadership has lost elections consistently. What has to happen in going forward now, is the party has to give itself the opportunity to elect a new leader and a new executive.”
On political analyst Mukesh Basdeo’s comments that it may not be necessary for a leader to step down if the party lost election, Ramnarine said:
“I believe the party has to be put in a position where it can continue to attract youths and a wide cross section of society. Clearly in the current situation, it cannot do that or isn’t doing that. One must understand T&T’s demographics and profile has changed. UNC has to rebrand and repackage itself to attract more.”
The party also lost, says Suruj
Tabaquite MP Suruj Rambachan, who supports Persad-Bissessar, admitted while she lost elections, “she alone didn’t lose, the party also lost. The loss of an election isn’t by itself reason enough to reject her. This was a close election, one separated by just over 40,000 votes. “
“Yes we lost in Tobago THA elections but my considered view, is that the TOP and in particular Ashworth Jack should carry the majority of the blame. The TOP failed to inspire the people of Tobago and at the parliamentary level there was a lack-lustre quality of representation by TOP MPs.”
“We lost the by-elections in Chaguanas West and St Joseph. Chaguanas West was won back in 2015. We are yet to fully understand what caused the earlier loss, save to say the voting population were convinced we were unfit to govern. In the 2013 local government elections the UNC held on to its base.”
He added: “As leader she’s had the humility to admit she made mistakes.. She hasn’t refused to take the barrage of criticisms but instead has acknowledged them with humility and understanding. By calling internal elections she is giving the membership an opportunity to endorse her or reject her.”