Former political leader of the United National Congress (UNC) Basdeo Panday and attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj will mount one stage next Sunday, to address the plight and concerns of former sugar workers and cane farmers. The former sugar workers and cane farmers are known as the UNC’s base supporters. The meeting will be held at Rienzi Complex, Couva, at 2 pm. The duo will discuss benefits promised to the farmers and issues that are affecting them.
Other speakers will include Nirvan Maharaj, president general of the All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union, Thomas Sotillio, secretary of the former Cane Farmers’ Association of T&T, and Mickela Panday. The former workers argued that the policy of the UNC has always been that former sugar workers and cane farmers should be compensated following the closure of Caroni 1975 Ltd.
The former leaders of the sugar estate and factory workers union, and the former Cane Farmers Association have asked Panday and Maharaj to address them, and to assist them in getting the present Government to honour the UNC policy for sugar workers and cane farmers. Panday publicly stated that he had been inundated with calls and requests from party supporters to intervene in the UNC “to restore the party to its pristine glory.”
He also admitted that if UNC supporters want him to contest the UNC’s upcoming internal elections as chairman. he would do so. Panday said that he considered it his duty as founder of the party, to assist in rescuing it. Maharaj, who said he has no interest in electoral politics, is in the process of launching a non political organisation called “Democracy Watch,” which will be involved in educating the population on politics.