The three new deputy political leaders of the Congress of the People (COP) have pledged devotion and commitment to building the membership of the party and maintaining the "new politics" as espoused by "founding father'' Winston Dookeran.

Newly-elected political leader Prakash Ramadhar yesterday introduced three deputy leaders to the media at the COP's Flagship House, St Clair. A fourth from Tobago will also be named soon.

They are—Dr Lincoln Douglas, Minister in the Ministry of the People and MP for Lopinot/Bon Air West, psychologist Anna Maria Mora and ophthalmologist Dr Anirudh Mahabir.

They replace former deputy leaders Robert Mayers, Wendy Lee Yuen and Ramadhar.

Ramadhar also appointed Nirad Tewarie as the party's new general secretary.

All deputies spoke of their will to building the party and meeting the needs of the people.

"I'm keenly aware of the magnitude of the work that has to be done in Trinidad and Tobago and more precisely in our party and that has me a little shaky. It is a good feeling, but it is very awe inspiring to be a leader of any sort especially in Trinidad and Tobago," said Douglas.

"We are on the brink of our society going either way retreating into incivility or becoming a developed society and that takes a tremendous amount of leadership acumen, to me that is quite a challenging and humbling experience," he added.

Mora said Ramadhar called her at 10.20 p.m. on Monday night with the deputy leader offer and she accepted because of the new politics that Dookeran built the COP on.

"Many years ago I was a little girl running around in Arouca and have been through a lot of pain, just the growth process for me and getting here was a bit painful," she disclosed.

She said the integrity, transparency and openness of the COP drew her to politics and as a psychologist and teacher she can reach out to the people.

Mahabir said he was taken by surprise with Ramadhar's offer.

"Let me say first of all I was a little bit surprised that it was offered to me and when it was offered to me I got a little bit fraid'...it is a challenge of having to face 1.3 million people, everyone with a different character, different expectation, those are the things we are challenged with in the Congress of the People," he said.

Drawing attention to his experience in the medical field, he added: "I'm trained to deal with people and I think that is my strength, I can deal with people at all levels of education, all level of societal position and I bring this to the Congress of the People."

He said he will be concentrating his efforts to building the COP in South.

Tewarie said work as general secretary begins immediately, adding that this weekend the COP will open hotlines at party offices—Flagship House, St Clair, along with San Fernando, Fyzabad and Charlieville—so that people can call for information and also join the party.

He said COP offices will also be opened in Arima and Tobago.

"In an effectively run organisation a lot of the bullwork falls on the general secretary, having worked with Mr Ramadhar I know the tasks will come fast and furious and that he intends to increase activity not just from the office of the political leader but all offices of the party," said Tewarie.