By Sue-Ann Wayow
POLITICAL leader of the Patriotic Front Mickela Panday says she does not hate the United National Congress (UNC), the party her father founded.
“I don’t hate the UNC. How can I hate the UNC? My father founded the UNC. The difference is this is not the party he founded,” she told supporters on Thursday night.
Speaking at a Patriotic Front public meeting at the Macaulay Community Centre, Panday also declared she cannot be blamed for splitting any vote for either the UNC or the People’s National Movement (PNM).
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Neither will she allow herself to be branded as a PNM supporter by the UNC.
In her address, Panday was critical of both the UNC and PNM administrations.
The current Opposition led by UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was making crazy promises all over the place but Panday chose to focus on what they could have done while in government from 2010 to 2015.
“They could have changed this country. I wanted them to change this country. I voted for them to change this country,” she told supporters.
But her hopes were dashed.
Panday said, “They want to call me a PNM. Maybe when the leader purged the party, she purged its history and forgot that my beloved father fought against the PNM his entire life. A party that for over 20 years tried relentlessly to imprison him. And I will support the PNM? They should be ashamed of themselves.”
She continued, “The strength and strain on my family were unimaginable. And takes its toll on my mother to this day. So it is beyond belief to see members of the Opposition who knew me growing up as a child would stoop so low especially now, after my father’s passing.”
“But today I can stand up for myself and I will speak for my father!”
Panday is the Patriotic Front candidate for Couva North, the constituency her father was the Member of Parliament for for decades.
Panday questioned who actually split UNC votes in the 2015 and 2020 general elections because the Patriotic Front founded on May, 25, 2019 did not contest either of those elections.
Instead now, the UNC was in a desperate attempt to discourage persons from voting for real change.
“We will make our own way,” she promised.
Panday told citizens to avoid any regrets on April 29 and vote for the Patriotic Front, a party with young leaders and a positive change to country.
“The Patriotic Front government will directly address the daily struggles of our citizens.”
These include:
· Protection of communities from crime
· Having working scanners at the ports
· Border protection
· Fast track courts
· The introduction of a programme called “Work for change” to give at risk youth better opportunities in life with training, jobs and a future
· Reduction in the cost of living
· Removal of VAT from essential food items
· Crack down on price gouging
· Support for farmers with incentives and guaranteed prices
· Increase minimum wage
· Introduce automatic cost of living adjustments for public sector workers
· Use energy prices to keep fuel prices stable
Panday declared, “No more talk, no more fear. It is time to take back our country and we are not afraid!”
