Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) leader David Abdulah said yesterday it was now obvious to him Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had no intention of addressing key governance issues.

Abdulah, in a telephone interview, said Persad-Bissessar's response to his resignation as a Government Senator and the MSJ's withdrawal from the coalition government on Sunday proved she was not willing to work with the MSJ or the other four parties to fix internal problems.

Abdulah said he now felt "vindicated" by Persad-Bissessar's statements.

"It is obvious now that she never intended to deal with the key issues surrounding labour and governance and I am vindicated because nothing was seriously addressed," Abdulah said.

"Why is it only now those issues are 'impossible and reckless'? At no time during those coalition leaders meetings was I told that I was being unreasonable," he said.

In March the MSJ had issued a ten-item list of demands for the coalition to address but after five meetings with the political leaders, the bulk of the MSJ concerns remained unresolved.

"That list formed part of the discussion process," he said.

"Holding firm to the manifesto and the tenets of the Fyzabad Declaration is not reckless, but very responsible. We at the MSJ are now ensuring that we keep our social contract," Abdulah said.

Abdulah said the party's decision to cut ties with the coalition would not affect the position of former MSJ leader, Labour Minister Errol McLeod.

"McLeod remains a member of the MSJ. We have not taken any decision on his post as labour leader (in government)," he said.

Abdulah said McLeod's position within the Partnership may actually help bolster the labour agenda with the Government.

"We haven't discussed it but McLeod as the Labour Minister is a very important commitment to the labour legislation and we will continue to support him in that role," he said.

McLeod, who returned to the country on Sunday, was reported as saying he remained a member of the Government, despite Abdulah's decision. On Sunday, McLeod said he was not informed about the MSJ's decision to leave the coalition but indicated that he would not be following the party.

McLeod said he would only leave the Government "if and when" Persad-Bissessar tells him his "services are no longer needed".