Panday calls for Government of National Unity
Posted: Wednesday, December 12, 2001

In a release issued yesterday, Robinson spent a lot of time citing historic examples of leaders in conflict situations coming together to solve the conflict. He pointed, for example to the meeting which took place between the "founding fathers of the nation, Eric Williams and Dr Rudranath Capildeo, which broke the impasse to our independence, after a history of acrimony between the leaders".

The impression is that Robinson is encouraging both leaders to come together, thus relieving himself of the responsibility of taking any decision.

Under the Constitution, the responsibility for making a decision in the selection of a Prime Minister, is placed solidly with the President. The President is however faced with an 18-18 tie. Robinson therefore yesterday called both Manning and Panday to a meeting at President's House.

Speaking to the media after the 25-minute meeting, Manning said he was confident there would be a new government in place by the end of this week. He was cautiously optimistic that PNM would still form the next government. "It is entirely possible, and very likely," he said.
He stressed: "The leaders of the country understand precisely the situation that faces us, and we are determined to do something about it in the shortest possible time". He added that the path the country should take was a matter which "we are still to determine".
Stating that there would be no time-wasting, Manning said he and Panday would meet "in due course".

He declined however to comment on the power-sharing arrangement proposed by Panday. The General Council is meeting at 5 pm today to discuss the current situation in the country, he said, adding that he would also be discussing this issue with the party's leadership today. Manning also sidestepped the question of what conditions the party would seek to impose on any arrangement.

Asked whether the PNM would insist on Commissions of Inquiry and on an overhaul of the EBC before a deal was struck, Manning said: "You must understand that we are in uncharted waters and we have to sit down and think," he said. "But," he emphasised, "we recognise the need to keep faith with the electorate. And therefore there are parameters within which we have to operate".

Manning who met with all the party's candidates in San Fernando yesterday afternoon, said he did not want to venture any opinion on what the PNM's membership and supporters would want at this stage.
On whether he was prepared to enter into a coalition arrangement, Manning said there were only two parties in the Parliament today "and the moment you say coalition, what you are saying is that there would be no Opposition. I don't think you really want to say that".

Sources revealed that Robinson spent all day meeting people from all quarters of the national community. Among those who visited the President's House were Senior Counsel, including Russell Martineau, Martin Daly, IRO head Noble Khan, Herbert Atwell and Gerry Hadeed.

In building his case for political co-operation, the President's release pointed to the example of President Kennedy of the United States and Nikita Khrushchev of the former Soviet Union, who established a hotline between Washington and Moscow so that they could talk to each other. "The President expressed the view that this is a critical moment in the history of the nation and needs decisive action on the party of its leaders and provided also opportunity for progress", the release said.

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