Protest action against members of Government compounds the need for Generation Next to take control of the United National Congress (UNC), says former prime minister Basdeo Panday.

Speaking to the Express by phone, Panday said the recent protest action against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in her constituency was evidence to show that Government members simply do not have the time to look after party business.

"The point is a minister has to run a ministry, run a constituency office, they are travelling all the time, they simply cannot handle everything at the same time. That is why people protest, how else will they get the attention of their MP?" said Panday.

Panday said the party must separate itself from the Government.

"No Government official should be on the party's executive except the political leader. When ministers are officers of the party and control the national executive, then who will the party speak to?" Panday questioned.

Panday said screening has begun, to put together a slate for Generation Next and he assured that a new executive would ensure that the party is alive and representative of all its members.

The UNC internal elections are scheduled to be held in March.

On Saturday, Panday, who is an adviser to Generation Next, held a meeting with activists at the Rienzi Complex, Couva.

Questioned on Government Minister Jack Warner's decision to suspend his campaign to resume hangings in the country, Panday said, "Wouldn't the best thing be for him to consult with them before making a fool of himself. To each his own, everybody has their own style. I don't think that was the way to approach it. If he was having a petition, who was he petitioning? And when he got the petition, who was he going to hand it to? And if he was going to hand it to Cabinet, could he have not raised the issue with Cabinet first?"

With respect to the State approving funds for foreign medical treatment of former prime minister Patrick Manning, Panday said, "Prime ministers and former prime ministers' medical bills must be paid, it is no gift. It's Mr Manning's right."

—Anna Ramdass and Carolyn Kissoon