(Trinidad Guardian) United National Congress (UNC) leader Basdeo Panday has been given a major Christmas gift with the political endorsement of most of his Members of Parliament and Senators. In a stunning political development, ten MPs and five Senators have pledged “unconditional support” for, and “fullest confidence” in Panday ahead of the January 24 UNC executive elections, in which he is again contesting the post of political leader. The only MPs who did not endorse Panday were Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, both candidates for the leadership, and dissident parliamentarians, Jack Warner (Chaguanas West) and Winston “Gypsy” Peters (Mayaro).

Those who pledged support were Kelvin Ramnath, Vasant Bharat, Dr Hamza Rafeeq, Dr Roodal Moonilal, Subhas Panday, Dr Tim Gopeesingh, Chandresh Sharma, Harry Partap, Nizam Baksh and Mickela Panday. Five of the six Opposition senators also backed the incumbent UNC leader. They are Minority Leader in the Senate Wade Mark, Dr Jennifer Jones-Kernahan, Dr Adesh Nanan, Lyndira Oudit and Faisal Mohammed Rahaman. Senator Sharon Gopaul-McNicholls, who has Congress of the People (COP) ties, and is not a member of the UNC, was not approached to sign the one-page document. In the statement dated December 18, the legislators affirmed their support for Panday and their confidence that he “will continue to lead us into the future.” They cited his “years of struggle for equality and justice”, his “excellence as a leader that took the UNC to Government in 1995” and his performance in office “which earned him the title ‘Best Prime Minister Ever’.”