Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:9 hours 45 min ago
Govt invitation to CJ a sham—COP
Published: 20 Sep 2009
COP’s deputy political leader Prakash Ramadhar listens to the complaint of pork vendor Ainsley Renaud yesterday at the San Juan Market. Photo: Karla Ramoo.
Deputy Political Leader of the Congress of the People (COP) Prakash Ramadhar has tipped his hat off to Chief Justice (CJ) Ivor Archie for his stinging condemnation of the draft constitution. But while Ramadhar heaped praises on the CJ’s stance, he urged him to ignore the Government’s invitation to meet. “We think this invitation is a sham and inappropriate. I don’t know what the Government hopes to achieve,” said Ramadhar. Ramadhar said the Government ought not to have dialogue on these matters with an incumbent CJ. “It’s not for them to call the CJ in on a private discussion.”
Instead, Ramadhar said, the Government should have a public discussion. During a tour of the San Juan market, Ramadhar, said the CJ should be applauded for his bravery. “We will stand by him. He is a brave man. It is refreshing to see a CJ, a young man...a man of honour and strength to speak in the face of Mr Manning and his madness.” Ramadhar said while Archie’s words were hard hitting, he urged the people to stand up to those who want to take control of everything.
Having looked at the constitution, Ramadhar said the COP will attend the 51 consultations to show that a constitution is about empowering the people and not controlling them. “We would not permit them to stifle the people. That is what this Government has done with the judiciary. They have sucked them dry and now expect this population to sit idly by because they feel we are a beaten people.”
Madeira: Judiciary open to dialogue
The judiciary’s court protocol and information manager Jones P Madeira yesterday said, however, the judiciary has always been open to dialogue on the issue of constitutional reform.
COP now has been handed a
COP now has been handed a golden opportunity on a platter to come out of hibernation and show that they are a serious political force to contend with. First they need to re-brand and work on their their image, maybe even seamlessly transfer leadership. Ramadhar looks like a promising aspirant if Dookeran who has longstanding ambitions to be PM could accept his fate. Dookeran is a good solid technocrat but lacks the charisma to excite an expectant electorate. And though a decent person, he still carries some political baggage which he can't seem to jettison.
Panday and his UNC are "damaged goods" and must put country before self and work with the COP & stop all the CORPSE talk for starters. Patrick's National Movement is refusing to allow rigor mortis to set in, and Panday and his yes men are keeping Manning and his corrupt cronies on a life support system. Time to do the country a favour and pull the plug. If Panday does not want to go with the little dignity he has left, if any at all, his supporters should tell him he must go NOW. After all what has he done for them, even when he had a chance? He was too busy rubbing shoulders with the "parasitic oligarchy" after riding the poor people's backs. Time they remove the scales from their eyes and remove the Pandays, all three of them.
Nina0646 The "Government’s
Nina0646
The "Government’s invitation to meet" issued to the Chief Justice appears to have exactly the same intent as the invitation issued to the Media Association of T & T... and the outcome will likely be no different....