Panday, Ramesh, meet Harnarine to discuss crime
Sunday 29th January, 2006
By Leah Mathura-Dookhoo
In an unusual midday meeting yesterday, UNC Chairman Basdeo Panday, along with former Attorney General, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj met with president of the Hindu Credit Union (HCU) Harry Harnarine to discuss the escalating crime scourge in the country.
Saying that he was deeply disgusted by the crisis the nation has plunged into, Panday said he was willing to meet with anyone who wants a safer T&T.
The closed meeting took place at Rienzi Complex in Couva around the same time UNC political leader Winston Dookeran was addressing members at a seminar in San Fernando on a way forward for the party.
Panday, who hosted the two-hour meeting said he invited Maharaj to join him following a request from Harnarine.
“They wanted to meet with Mr Maharaj and myself to discuss the deteriorating affairs of the country and to see what can be done,” Panday said in a telephone interview.
He said after yesterday’s meeting it is hoped that a united front can be formed with concerned groups to confront the PNM on several issues and to force them out of office.
“We have had 34 of 35 murders in 27 days, this is why groups are meeting with us. People are worried about their safety and they want political change,” he said.
However, the UNC chairman was quick to admit that his party alone could not do it. He said a collective effort from the mature thinking members of society who were concerned about the future generation would assist.
Asked about his relationship with Maharaj, Panday said he was willing to work with anyone who wanted unity and change of governance in the country at this time.
On his absence at Dookeran’s seminar yesterday, Panday said that several things were currently being done at this time to gear up its members for general elections, whenever it is called.
He said yesterday’s seminar and the meeting with officials of HCU did not mean that there was any struggle in the party for leadership, but that everyone was working hard for the good of the party.
Meanwhile, Maharaj who did not want to speak in detail about the meeting at Rienzi Complex said that both he and Panday would meet with HCU members again in the future to continue further discussions on the issue of crime.
“When one is in politics they must put people first. The country needs unity at this time and we must do this to save T&T,” Maharaj said.
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