Saying that he would not be blackmailed by anyone, UNC leader Basdeo Panday yesterday told all those members who were threatening to join another party if he contested the internal elections, to ’do us a favour, (and) go now’.

Mayaro MP Winston ’Gypsy’ Peters has stated that he would join the Congress of the People if Panday is returned as leader.

But addressing delegates at the National Congress at the Rienzi Complex, Couva, Panday was unfazed by such threats.

’The party must not become a haven for ’international con-men or an avenue for money laundering, nor must it be a vehicle for those who have made it a career of betraying this party to its opponents’, the UNC leader said, provoking thunderous applause.

But Panday also discussed constitution reform and proposed a Presidential system in which none of the members of the Cabinet would be members of the Parliament.

Panday said the Constitution must be radically reformed. He called for an elected President based on one-man-one-vote.

’The President, who shall be the Head of State and the Head of the Government, must then be free to select his Cabinet from the most capable men and women in the country as his Ministers and his advisers, who together with the President will constitute the Executive. They will not be members of the Parliament,’ he said, adding: ’That is vitally important’.

Panday said that Trinidad and Tobago was too small to have a bi-cameral Parliament of two houses. He proposed a uni-cameral Parliament made up of about 90 to 100 members who are elected on the basis of proportional representation. Panday said the new constitution must also provide for the right of recall of members who are not performing.