Mickela Panday has put to rest speculation that she intends to follow in the footsteps of her father and contest the top or any other post in the December 5 internal elections of the United National Congress (UNC).
Panday, daughter of UNC founder former prime minister Basdeo Panday, announced yesterday that she would be sitting this election out because of numerous irregularities in the process.
The young attorney, who has represented the party in the Oropouche West constituency, made it clear that although she was approached by both Dr Roodal Moonilal, who is contesting the top position on the Loyalist slate and Vasant Bharath, who is expected to announce his slate today, she would not be joining either of their slates. She said she also could not endorse any of the candidates who sat idly by for five years and did nothing to save the party.
Panday said instead of fighting for a position, she would embark on a campaign to restore democracy to the party.
“This election should not be about who will be leader, it should be about how we can save the party from those who sat by and did nothing as it was dying a slow death. But our members need to first understand, believe and accept, it is not the leader or the national executive that holds the power, it is the members themselves.”
Flanked by UNC foundation member John Humphrey, former Tabaquite MP Dr Adesh Nanan and former executive member Vashist Maharaj, in the Basdeo Panday Foundation Conference room at the Rienzi Complex, Couva, Panday declared, “My campaign begins today.”
She said she would be sensitising the membership to the irregularities and illegalities in the electoral process.
“As long as the party is run by people perceived to be corrupt, it will never see power. We cannot expect to do the same thing over and over and get different results.”
She also questioned the validity of the elections, “given the constitutional term limits of both the incumbent leader and all other 17 members of the national executive officers had expired. Surely, if you are not duly elected, it follows you can’t make decisions and speak on behalf of the membership.”
She said she gave consideration to heading a slate after being approached by people to do so, although people she respected, including her father, advised against it unless the elections would be free and fair.
Nevertheless, Panday said, she felt it important to give people the benefit of the doubt and so she attempted to get basic information, such as whether her name was on the UNC’s current membership list, but she encountered a brick wall every step of the way.
Panday said she was shocked at the irregular and highly unreasonable request that she, a life member who has never sought political membership of another party in the country, should submit her name to the office for verification. She said she was still awaiting confirmation of her membership number and to ascertain that her name was on the electoral list. She said impossible and unrealistic two-day deadlines were also set for registration of new members and to date she was still awaiting membership forms for new members.
“Why would a political party be afraid of people joining?” she asked.
“It is unacceptable in a party where the incumbent leader continues to preach democracy, such dictatorial decisions are being taken.
“In these circumstances and without a valid, updated membership list, I am convinced the election will not be free or fair. Not only will my contesting indicate an acceptance of this madness, it will guarantee things never change and we will be destined to continuously repeat our mistakes of the past and never move forward.”
She added, “Immediately, we have to take steps to return our party to the ideological position on which it was founded, to restore the democracy and dignity of the party, so that all of its members, old and new, can hold their heads up high and be proud of their party.”
She said her campaign to educate and remind members of the ideology that led to the foundation of the party would start next week.
“After such time, the members will have to decide if they wish to participate in the elections on December 5, and if they decide not to, they must demand those strangling the party release it and hold free and fair elections that not only the members, but the public at large, can have confidence in.”