I would invite my friend Prakash Ramadhar to consider the following.

Re: "The COP stated then, and continues to hold, that Mr Warner should have stepped aside from his ministerial position until the investigations into the matter were concluded and decisions had been made as to his role in the matter and culpability or otherwise."

In the absence of applicable law to demand Jack Warner's relinquishing of office, the Congress of the People's position that he should voluntarily do so, and placing "the question of whether he should be removed as a minister in the hands of the political leader of his party and Prime Minister and not the COP", is a principled one.

This principle disregards the importance of Mr Warner to the national welfare. Starkly, he should resign or be made to do so, and damn the consequences.

Now, unless the COP's entry and participation in Government was purely for the selfish purposes of personal political advancement, one is sure the COP sees itself as vitally important to developing our independent democratic nation for the benefit of all citizens, hence its retaining office.

In this latter circumstance, the COP is prepared to stay in office as colleagues of Mr Warner and feel untainted by that decision.

But to maintain that "the COP's position remains that Mr Warner should step down from ministerial responsibility until investigations are concluded" equally disregards principle since the COP does not see any need to step down from its own governmental position.

Vernon De Lima's dogged insistence that the COP depart is unfortunately more principled than Mr Ramadhar's open double standard.

The fact is, to stand on principle, the COP must leave the People's Partnership Government or openly declare it has abandoned its demand for Mr Warner's removal. It can go into opposition and support all good that the United National Congress promotes, and even join in a later coalition, but it will have to give up Cabinet posts and perks.

But it is important that Mr Ramadhar review his duplicity.

MF Rahman

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