Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday yesterday dismissed a claim made by Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner that the recent meeting between himself and Prime Minister Patrick Manning was part of a concentrated plan to get rid of the RamJack faction of the United National Congress.

Warner, at a public meeting at the Waterloo High School on Thursday, said on May 22, he was returning from London on a flight and on that same flight was Manning. He said for more than three hours, he and Manning debated various issues and ’in the face of a losing debate, the PM then advised me that he can make a deal with the Leader of the Opposition that will get rid of the RamJack faction at once’. (See Page 6)

He said he reported this discussion to Ramesh Maharaj and sometime later to Congress of the People leader Winston Dookeran. Saying he was therefore not surprised by the meeting, he said more shall be exposed in time. But in response to this yesterday, Panday said, ’Another secret meeting? Oh my God, they meeting on planes now?’ Probed further, he said, ’Quite frankly, I think you should ask Mr Manning if it is being alleged that he was the participant of this conversation.’ He said there were more pressing issues in this country to deal with.

UNC deputy leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar also took the opportunity to clarify the controversy over her withdrawal to speak at a massive rally organised by the COP at Woodford Square, Port of Spain, today against the property tax.

She said she sent a letter to COP indicating she would no longer be speaking on the platform, given the vicious attack launched against Panday. She was referring to strong criticism from COP members against Panday’s meeting with Manning on constitutional reform. Persad-Bissessar said this was a ’storm in the teacup’ and added that there were some who were intent on causing division in the UNC.

With respect to unity talks with the COP, Panday said he was awaiting a reply from Dookeran to a letter he sent to him asking that they discuss the COP’s People’s Charter as well as constitutional reform.