Anna Ramdass aramdass@trinidadexpress.com

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday can never take the United National Congress (UNC) back into government because the PNM (People’s National Movement) has tainted his image, Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar says.

Speaking at a cottage meeting in Preysal on Thursday night, Persad-Bissessar still saluted Panday for the work he did. However, she stressed he cannot take the party forward.

’Mr Panday struggled and worked hard, yes, we agree, but the PNM did a hatchet job on the man, let’s face it. They created all the mud-slinging and some of that mud stained him and so whether it is true or not, the perception in the country, let us be real, Mr Panday cannot win an election,’ she said.

Persad-Bissessar said there was statistical evidence to prove this as figures show that Panday had lost support in his Couva North constituency seat. She pointed out that in 2000, some 79 per cent, 14,383 persons, voted for him in his constituency.

’By 2007, we saw Mr Panday, after the internal war with the Congress of the People, the support declined so dramatically in his own constituency,’ she said, adding Panday received 8,428 votes, the PNM 5,200 and the COP 4,000-plus votes.

’Mr Panday won the seat with less than 50 per cent of the votes. You know what that mean, more people in his own constituency voted against him. We cast no blame on Mr Panday himself, but we are saying the statistics show that Mr Panday has been declining steadily in support and cannot take us to win another election.’

Expecting a barrage of attacks headed her way upon Panday’s return from London and at the start of his own campaign, Persad-Bissessar declared, ’I am not afraid of anything they have to say! For 19 years in the UNC, Kamla was the greatest girl and the greatest blessing in this party and now, because I decided that I must take this party forward, overnight, Kamla come like the Devil, boy. But people not stupid, you know, they say you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you will never fool all the people all the time.’

Persad-Bissessar said under her leadership, there will no war, only peace, love and healing in the UNC.

With confidence, she said when she becomes prime minister, she will deal with the pressing issues that plague this country such as crime, and also pledged to roll back the property tax and increase old age pension to $3,000. (Trinidad Express)