By Prior Beharry
UNDER the political leadership of Basdeo Panday United National Congress (UNC) supporters were treated like sheep.
So said current political leader of the UNC Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the Monday Night Report at the Preysal High School.
She made a call again inviting smaller political parties to join with the UNC to fight the next general elections.
But, she stated that the rank and file of the UNC must not be disrespected.
Persad-Bissessar said, “They sacrifice so much for our party and myself to keep us going. The UNC rank and file membership will not be used and abused and treated as hewers of wood and drawers of water. I will not let that happen as long as I am here. That will not happen under my watch.”
She said, “You will be treated equally to me. I am equal to every UNC member. We all share the same importance. Without each other, we are nothing.”
Persad-Bissessar said, “I remember in the early UNC days, in the Panday days, our supporters were sometimes treated like sheep.
“The hierarchy of the party at that time would tell us, ‘bring sheep, bring sheep, bring people’, and put us all to sit down down in the crowd there in Rienzi (Complex) and then the one or two fellas every single meeting they will talk to the sheep.
“I remembered that. I detested that treatment of the rank and file of our membership. And when I became your leader I have tried in every way to change that.”
She said that was why the party had various WhatsApp and email groups so the political leader can communicate with members.
In 2010, Persad-Bissessar won the political leadership of the UNC from Panday gaining ten times as many votes as him. In that same year she went on to win the general elections and became prime minister, but has lost two general elections in 2015 and 2020.
Panday passed away on January 1, 2024.
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