As the race for the leadership of the UNC heats up, former minister of food production Devant Maharaj has thrown his support behind Opposition MP for Oropouche East Dr Roodal Moonilal as leader of the UNC.
In a statement yesterday Maharaj said, “Having sat next to Dr Roodal Moonilal in Cabinet for the last four- and- a- half years I have an insight into his political acumen and leadership abilities, and because of this I wish to publicly offer my support to Dr Moonilal as leader of the United National Congress.
“It is with new blood, new vision and new leadership style that will give the UNC a opportunity to recapture government in 2020.”
Maharaj said in first world democracies the focus has now moved away from just one leader to that of the leadership team. “Though we fought the last election under the brand of the political leader, the country valued the power of the team over that of person, evidenced by the less popular of two leaders becoming the new prime minister.
“As such, I wish Dr Moonilal and his team the best in the internal elections and thank Kamla Persad Bissessar for her stewardship as leader, with the hope that the sun will rise again in 2020,” Maharaj added. He said the party's internal elections would then have to decide what direction the party would now take.
It was unquestionable, Maharaj added, that the PP administration delivered an unprecedented level of goods and services to the nation. He added it was also undeniable that the coalition of parties was held together due to almost the singular efforts of Persad-Bissessar.
“Having put on record these facts it is also true that every electoral battle since 2010 the People's Partnership lost including the important 2015 general elections. The public telegraphed repeatedly their dissatisfaction and disappointment with the leadership of the people's partnership.
“The leadership ignored the messages being sent which resulted inevitably in our defeat at the polls. Now the nation is paying as the PNM fumbles and bumbles destroying lives of citizens.” Maharaj said.
Saying that the country’s electorate continued to evolve with each election, Maharaj said the country had also matured “As such I hold the opinion that when a leader carries his or her troops to battle and loses the leader should step down or at least offer to step down.
He said having observed the dynamics of the UNC and spoken to a number of his former Cabinet colleagues, some of whom were now Opposition, he was certain that the internal elections would become a keenly contested affair down to the final hour.