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Estranged
political leader wants to meet Kamla for more talks and convene
meeting
Winston
Dookeran
By
Gail Alexander
Estranged UNC political leader Winston Dookeran is refusing
to attend tomorrow’s executive meeting, despite the group’s
agreement to discuss his conditions for unity at that meeting.
He confirmed yesterday that his refusal was not because he
isn’t committed to unity, but more because he wants to
have full discussions with Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar
first, and then he wants to be the one to convene an executive
meeting.
At last Friday’s unity meeting with Persad-Bissessar,
Dookeran gave her a 16-point list of conditions to set the
agenda for talks before he convenes a meeting of the executive
on unity.
The list called on Persad-Bissessar to say whether she would
agree that major changes were necessary.
These include the party’s dual leadership—involving
her own post—the removal of UNC founder Basdeo Panday,
other executive changes, reinstatement of Dookeran’s
sacked supporters, and the dropping of a no-confidence motion
against him.
After Saturday’s emergency executive meeting on the issue,
Persad-Bissessar said the executive had agreed to include
Dookeran’s agenda points during their weekly meeting
tomorrow.
She said Dookeran was invited to the meeting at Rienzi Complex,
but he continued to have issues, particularly with the situation
concerning the executive.
Yesterday, a spokesman who also confirmed Dookeran was not
attending the meeting, said when the political leader spoke
to Persad-Bissessar, he indicated—and they both agreed—that
they needed to agree on the points he had raised, and Dookeran
would then convene an executive meeting to discuss it further.
“So
he was a bit surprised when the executive invited him to attend
Wednesday’s meeting,” sources added.
Dookeran attempted to reach Persad-Bissessar most of yesterday
“and will continue trying,” they added.
“He
intends to speak with her personally to work something out,
because he wants to continue to meet with her and then he’ll
convene an executive meeting.”
Yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said she hadn’t received
any communication from Dookeran.
“And
I await hearing from him with respect to our letter, but I
hope good sense will prevail and that he will reconsider attending
the executive meeting, because we have complied with his request.
“Before
he came to the meeting, he wanted to meet me to create an
agenda for talks. This was done and our executive has even
accepted his agenda items for discussions.”
Asked what would transpire as a result of Dookeran’s
decision not to attend tomorrow’s executive meeting,
Persad-Bissessar said: “I’m sure the executive will
discuss the matter.”
Sources close to Dookeran said he remained committed to unity
with all his actions: “But there is evidently a power
play going on with others in the party, since the day after
last Friday’s unity talks, a top leader of the UNC called
on the executive to drop the unity talks.”
One of Dookeran’s support team, Rene Bermudez, is in
Venezuela holding discussions with Venezuelan political analyst
Michael Rowan and Venezuelan officials on assistance for Dookeran’s
efforts, it was confirmed yesterday.
Rowan, who lives in Caracas, is former president of the International
Association of Political Consultants, and is said to be a
journalist also.
He has written articles about defeating Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez in the Latin Business Chronicle up to August 17.
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