Revolt IN COP
Anil to challenge Dookeran for leadership post
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Story Updated: Jan 8, 2011 at 10:47 PM ECT
Moves are afoot to remove Finance Minister Winston Dookeran as political leader of the Congress of the People. And sources say the man in the challenger's corner is Sport Minister Anil Roberts.
Dookeran says he is not bothered by reports of any such moves. "I will not engage in such frivolities. There are major issues to deal with in the country," he responded when asked to comment on the reports yesterday.
Pressed for a further comment, Dookeran said:
"You remember when Gandhi was spat on in the train in South Africa and the people asked (him) 'aren't you bothered about that?'
"His response was I don't have to be bothered, he (the man who spat on him) has to be bothered because he's the one who has done something wrong."
Sources said that there was strong COP support for Roberts to put himself up for the leadership position come March.
According to the COP constitution, the notice for the post of political leader will be placed in March, following which there would be nominations for the position.
Contacted for comment yesterday, and asked specifically if he was interested in leading the COP, Roberts said he was willing to serve if he was given the mandate by the membership.
He said he agreed with former prime minister Basdeo Panday that leadership was not a cow, that somebody cannot hand it to him.
"If people on the ground would like me to, I would never shirk my responsibility and I am not afraid of anybody nor any responsibility, so if my membership across Trinidad and Tobago would like me to, I will accede to the request. Of course, I will be privileged and honoured," he said.
He said there were divisions within the COP and he was certain there will be a shake-up in the leadership and the structure of the party coming out of internal elections later this year.
"Yes, it definitely will because we cannot continue to go on like that, because members who have worked hard, who believe in the COP, the leader and its policies, are not being given guidance and leadership," he said.
He said some members have lost faith in Dookeran's leadership, predicting that Dookeran will have a fight on his hands at the party's elections.
Roberts levelled blame against four members of the party for causing the divisions within the COP, saying that they were speaking out against the Government without facts.
"The UNC appears to have strong leadership and discipline, the MSJ, the TOP and NJAC. In the COP there are certain members who have been given certain positions of high office who seems to be making irresponsible, unnecessary, selfish and uninformed attacks on the Prime Minister and the People's Partnership Government," he said.
"When I read deputy political leader of the COP, Robert Mayers, on New Year's day, saying the People's Partnership Government has no plan, what is he talking about—because he is a strong member of the Partnership, he's an economic policy member, he's an adviser and a confidant of Mr Winston Dookeran, the leader of COP who is instrumental in the plans and the visions of the Partnership.
"It appears he has his own selfish agenda, he has no information and he's not making statements based on fact," he continued.
Roberts also criticised COP executive member Vernon De Lima for his statements that the People's Partnership had no no crime plan and that the Minister of National Security was not doing his job and that the COP crime plan was not being looked at.
"He's absolutely 100 per cent wrong … he's speaking from a position of no information whatsoever.
"He's not consulted with any of the members of Cabinet, of members of Parliament, especially when he attacked the honourable Prime Minister for divulging to the population (news) about the SIA," said Roberts.
He said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar consulted with the Cabinet before making her decisions.
"I would ask him and others to cease and desist and show the discipline that the other members of the coalition party are assuming," he said.
Roberts also insisted COP members were being treated fairly with respect to board appointments.
"Their numbers (COP members) were absolutely wrong and skewed, they did not ask any members of Cabinet like myself, and I am one of the COP members who's also on the boards' committee, we are very very well represented.
He said Dookeran should take disciplinary action against members who made false statements.
Contacted for comment on Roberts's challenge to Dookeran and his claims of a rift within the COP, party chairman Joseph Toney said he will respond after hearing for himself what Roberts has to say.