- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 09/Jul 16:14

Tancoo endorses Kamla for UNC leader

UNC chairman Davendranath Tancoo has endorsed Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to remain as the party's political leader. Tancoo, is also Finance Minister and Fyzabad MP. In a WhatsApp comment on July 9, he said, "I endorse and support Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar as Political Leader of the United National Congress." Tancoo added he has no interest in contesting this post. Persad-Bissessar has openly challenged any member of the UNC to try and take leadership of the party away from her. She formally threw down the gauntlet at a UNC public meeting in Penal on July 7. Persad-Bissessar said the UNC's national executive (natex) will meet this week to decide a date for the internal election of the post of political leader. Persad-Bissessar, who has been political leader since January 24, 2010, (when she defeated UNC founder Basdeo Panday in those internal elections), expressed her intention to stand for re-election. "I give you notice tonight. I intend to contest again for the position of political leader." She got a standing ovation from the assembled UNC supporters when she made the announcement. Persad-Bissessar told any potential challengers, "If you want it, come and take it." Former UNC MPs Rushton Paray and Dr Fuad Khan said they would not be challenging Persad-Bissessar for the party's leadership. The UNC last held internal elections for political leader on June 26, 2022. On that occasion, Persad-Bissessar defeated Khan to retain her post. In a WhatsApp comment on July 8, Khan said, "No one will contest the post. She will win uncontested. I have no desire to contest any post in the UNC at this time." Last June, the UNC held internal elections for all posts on its natex, except political leader. The Persad-Bissessar-endorsed Star slate won all of those posts. Paray said he has since returned to private life and has no desire to contest the party's leadership. "Mrs Persad Bissessar was given a five-year mandate by the people of Trinidad and Tobago to lead this country, and that must be respected." The UNC won the April 28 general election 26-13-2. During last June's UNC internal elections, Paray did not rule out the possibility of contesting the party's leadership at a future date. Last year, Paray and four other former UNC MPs (Anita Haynes-Alleyne, Dinesh Rambally, Rodney Charles and Dr Rai Ragbir) questioned Persad-Bissessar's ability to lead the UNC to victory in the next general election. None of them were chosen as UNC candidates in the April 28 general election. The post Tancoo endorses Kamla for UNC leader appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.