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FOUNDER of the United National Congress (UNC) Basdeo Panday says the relocation of the party’s base from central to south Trinidad is no cause for concern.
“The most important function of a political party is to serve the people. For the present UNC, I don’t think that location would make any difference to their incompetence.
“Where ever they go, that incompetence would follow so long as the leadership doesn’t inspire people. If they went out on the Soldado Rock, it would not make a difference really.
“The incompetence has been so widespread, so great, I don’t think there is any recovery no matter where they are located.”
Panday was commenting on the decision of the party, under the leadership of Kamla Persad-Bissessar, to relocate its base from Southern Main Road, Couva to M Rampersad Building, San Fernando.
Both UNC chairman and PRO, Dave Tancoo and Dr Kirk Meighoo, said it was a matter of convenience as covid19 has forced a more concentrated effort on virtual interaction with the people. They said the M Rampersad’s building is more modern in terms of creating the virtual space to function as a party.
Tancoo said it did not matter where they operated from, once they were effectively serving the people.
The party, since its inception in 1989, was first based at the Rienzi Complex. After 27 years of occupation, the UNC was evicted and moved to a smaller space for five years.
Asked about the significance of having a central base, Panday explained that when he became leader of the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Union, the union had no headquarters.
He said he set out to build a headquarters and the lands which were available were in Couva.
The headquarters became The Rienzi Complex, named after Adrian Cola Rienzi (Krishna Deonarine) a trade unionist, civil rights activist, politician and lawyer who founded both the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union and the then All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union.
Panday said Rienzi Complex became a centre for intense struggle, a place which saw the genesis of many political formations, including the United Labour Front (ULF) which all culminated in the UNC.
“And the Rienzi Complex became the (UNC’s) headquarters until the party was evicted from there.”
Panday, a former prime minister who operated the Basdeo Panday Foundation from an office at the Rienzi Complex, was also evicted in 2020.
He said he filed an action before the court and the court ordered that he be reinstated.
“But in breach of the court order they have not done so.”
He said because of the covid19 pandemic, it has not been possible for him to pursue the matter further.
Panday continues to operate the foundation from his home at Palmiste, San Fernando.
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