Basdeo Panday

BY COREY CONNELLY

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday insists that the rift between Pointe-a-Pierre MP Gillian Lucky and the leadership of the UNC remains a party matter.

“That is an internal party matter,” he told reporters after the party’s People’s Forum at Plum Mitan Community Centre on Monday night.

“It is not for public consumption. What is for public consumption is the crime in the country and the PNM’s failure to deal with it.”

During last week’s caucus at Rienzi Complex, Couva, Lucky locked horns with Panday after he accused her of not being a team player.

The issue arose as a result of her decision to sign the Privileges Committee’s report on the altercation between Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma in the tearoom of Parliament on September 15, 2004.

The 188-page report was circulated to MPs and reporters in Parliament two weeks ago.

At a news conference on Monday at her Edward Street, Port-of-Spain, law offices, Lucky took a hard line on the issue, announcing her decision to serve out her term in Parliament as an independent UNC member.

She told reporters her decision was made purely on principle and integrity.

San Juan/Barataria MP Dr Fuad Khan, expressing solidarity with Lucky at the briefing, also decided to become an independent UNC member.

However, Panday said he had heard no talk of their position.

“I haven’t got the faintest idea,” he said when asked about Lucky and Khan’s status in the UNC.

“Whatever the problems in the party, this party has sufficient machinery to deal with its internal problems.”

Pressed on whether Lucky was still a member of the UNC, he said, “I don’t know. I can’t answer those questions.

“As I say, that party has its machinery to deal with any problems that confronts it.”

On his statement that Lucky was not a team player, Panday repeated, “That is an internal party matter to be dealt with by the internal machine of the party.

“It is not for public consumption. I’m sure you wouldn’t ask the PNM about its internal party matters.”

He also could not say if Lucky and Khan had resigned.

“I don’t know. I have received no resignations and the party has not received any,” he said.

Lucky and Khan said they had no intention of crossing the floor to the PNM.

During the meeting, Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath assured the gathering that all was well with the party.