The Opposition party, the United National Congress, will be preparing a document to hand over to the Commonwealth Secretariat in hopes of painting a ’clear picture’ of what Trinidad and Tobago is really like, says Leader of the Opposition Basdeo Panday.

At a UNC pre-CHOGM seminar, Panday said this year’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which starts on Friday in Port of Spain, does not allow for the Opposition to participate in any way.

At the seminar, Dr Hamza Rafeeq commented on the issue of food security or this country’s actual lack of food security.

Dr Tim Goopeesingh, MP for Caroni East, spoke on the perils of climate change, and the country’s need to treat with it.

Opposition Senator Sharon Ann Gopaul Mc Nicol treated with the issue of women and youth.

And Senator Wade Mark tackled renewable energy and the need to zero in on its importance.

Panday, who is also the MP for Couva North, said his party would be condensing the presentations given, which they saw pertinent to both the well being of this country and the Commonwealth, and passing it onto the Commonwealth Secretariat, in hopes of it being given out to the various country heads who will be in Trinidad and Tobago for the high level meeting.

He said: ’We cannot approach the heads directly, that is not protocol.’

He also said his party would be supporting a trade union call for the citizens to stay at home for two days, (today and tomorrow), and would be closing its office and its headquarters at Rienzi Complex, Couva.