The Congress of the People (COP) has been offered options including Cabinet and Senate posts or ambassadorships for its members. The offers were made at Thursday's third caucus of the People's Partnership leadership, which turned down the COP's call for the removal of San Fernando mayor Marlene Coudray.
But this outcome left the COP feeling shortchanged. A senior COP official said the offer will be discussed at the party's council meeting on April 29. After Coudray's defection to the UNC-in which she is now a deputy leader-the COP tried to have her removed as mayor.
After Thursday's meeting, although the COP dropped the call for Coudray's removal, an annoyed COP leader Prakash Ramadhar criticised Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Ramadhar said it was her responsibility to settle the matter, and insisted it was an issue of political will. Ramadhar felt Coudray was harming the country by her action.
Ramadhar then returned to his Florida, US vacation. COP chairman Joseph Toney yesterday said Ramadhar had never said the COP would pull out of the partnership if it did not get what it wanted. "Of course we won't," Toney said. "The COP's business is to ensure the PP holds together and provides good governance for T&T. But we still hope Ms Coudray will do the decent thing.
"The Prime Minister, both as PM and as UNC leader, has committed much wrongdoing in this matter." Saying he would not comment on whether the Prime Minister had reneged on the issue, Toney said, "But certainly the COP feels shortchanged. It's the overwhelming feeling among COP supporters and sympathisers."
The COP already has a top position in the Upper House in Senate President Timothy Hamel-Smith. Former COP deputy leader Robert Mayers said the COP shouldn't accept the options offered and Ramadhar must now resign from the Cabinet.
Mayers said: "While I understand he had to agitate on the Coudray issue, that was just one in a long line of abuse by the UNC senior partner. The COP was also at a disadvantage from the start of those PP meetings since leaders met on the PM's turf."
Mayers felt Ramadhar had lost credibility, since the Prime Minister had reined him in. "COP was supposed to have represented new politics. Having screwed up partnership negotiations from the start, the party has been at a disadvantage since then. The issue now is how to salvage its position."