Trinidad Guardian
Thursday 31st August, 2006
Dookeran goes ‘independent’ at Warner’s Centre of Excellence
By Gail Alexander
It’s really happening. In ten days’ time. Estranged UNC political leader Winston Dookeran will launch his People’s Congress “single party” initiative on Sunday, September 10. And he will do it at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, which is operated by his chief UNC detractor—deputy political leader Jack Warner.
Advertisements and posters for the upcoming event are being prepared even while Dookeran and the UNC executive are making so far fruitless efforts to try and hold unity talks for a single party.
Two Mondays ago, the Trinidad Guardian broke the news of the Dookeran plan in a report headlined “Splitsville — Leaders say Dookeran to launch new party.” In that report, Dookeran support team members Gary Griffith and MP Manohar Ramsaran spoke the day after a Mount St Benedict meeting, when the committee agreed on plans for the Congress and the new party.
Yesterday, Ramsaran confirmed the CoE venue for the Congress, adding: “Winston is looking to ensure there is a single party and that is what will be launched that day (September 10).”
He said: “I hope the UNC executive will bury their respective egos and heed his invitation to meet on Saturday to discuss forming this single party.”
Names discussed by the team for a new party include the New National Congress.
Contacted yesterday about use of the Macoya complex—which was built by Concacaf —Warner said he had no problem with rental of the facility to Dookeran’s supporters for their Congress launch.
Warner, who has been a strong critic of Dookeran, said: “(I have) No problem whatsoever.We’re not about to discriminate against anyone. If by chance Patrick Manning and the PNM want to rent it too, I have no problem. I’m a businessman.”
Warner said the rental fee for the Centre for that event is $50,000 .
Former senator Roy Augustus and Ken Emrith, who both work for Warner, are part of Dookeran’s support team.
Warner made it clear, however, that he remains firm in his sentiments against Dookeran where UNC party issues are concerned.
After unity talks with Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar last Friday, Dookeran blanked the executive’s invitation to discuss the issue at last night’s weekly executive caucus at the Rienzi Complex.
And executive members last night were set to dismiss Dookeran’s subsequent invitation to them to meet at his Tunapuna office on Saturday to discuss the formation of a single party.
The majority of members who were contacted yesterday, prior to last night’s executive meeting, said they had concerns with Dookeran’s invitation.
Among them was Warner, who received Dookeran’s invitation yesterday.
In the invitation, Dookeran said he “would be obliged” if UNC members would meet with him at“the office of the Political Leader at Pasea Road, Tunapuna,” from 10 am on Saturday to discuss a single party.
Dookeran’s letter stated he was also inviting sacked UNC executive members Ramsaran, Griffith, Sadiq Baksh and Carol Cuffy-Dowlat.
But Warner issued a stern rebuff to Dookeran immediately on receiving the invitation.
Warner told Dookeran he was suspicious of Dookeran’s motives since it has been “difficult to isolate sincerity from cheap publicity stunts”.
Warner also said: “I have absolutely no qualms or difficulty in declining your invitation. The only logical interpretation of your responses to several overtures from the legitimate executive committee of the UNC was that you were being deliberately facetious, exuding arrogance and certainly nothing even remotely resembling an attitude of reconciliation.”
He said: “My responses should have also made clear my astonishment at the overall treatment and contempt meted out by you to the legitimate UNC at every sequence. Indeed your publicly associating with a parallel and competing organisation which we are aware is well past the planning stage of forming a political party, only strengthens my resolve to refuse your invitation.”
And as Dookeran’s Congress continued in the works, the UNC executive was expected at last night’s meeting to discuss obtaining top legal talent to ascertain ways of “expunging Dookeran” from the UNC.
Discussions were also to focus on a stepped-up mobilisation campaign to coincide with preparations for Dookeran’s Congress.
A faxed copy of a poster for the September 10 Congress shows Dookeran alongside a headline that declares: “It’s Happening!”
The promotional material also contains a message from Dookeran which states:
“By unanimous acclamation at a public forum on July 23, 2006, thousands of members of the United National Congress and the wider national community endorsed ‘The Freeport Declaration’ which called upon me to propel the emergence of a viable, all-embracing movement with the capacity and the mission to unify the people of our diverse society on a platform of New Politics and New Government on the way to forming the next Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.”
The ad further announces:
“The Congress Of The People, Sunday September 10 — 2.30 pm. Centre of Excellence.”
Latest UNC replaces political leader
UNC’s Executive at 8 pm yesterday referred the “abdication” of duties by political leader Winston Dookeran to legal counsel and agreed to establish a leadership council in the absence of a leader.
CEO Tim Gopeesingh said the leadership council will include three deputy leaders: Jack Warner, Wade Mark and Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
He said the executive noted Dookeran’s unwillingness to function in the UNC. Legal counsel will advise the party how to proceed on the issue.
“The party has run out of patience,” Gopeesingh said.
— Adrian Boodan
