An umbrella body as a political vehicle—and possibly another party—which Gary and Nicole Dyer-Griffith are building with Jack Warner’s ILP, the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM), and other small groups held its first meeting yesterday. But former COP leader, Winston Dookeran, has hesitated regarding any talks with the entity.
The development towards yet another political alternative came three weeks after Griffith was axed from the PP Cabinet—and former attorney general Anand Ramlogan resigned—because of Police Complaints Authority Director David West’s witness-tampering allegations against Ramlogan. Griffith has given police a statement corroborating West’s allegations. Griffith said two initial meetings towards forming the umbrella body were held recently. But the entity’s first official meeting was held yesterday with ten people including Warner.
The meeting followed resignations from the COP by Griffith’s wife, Nicole Dyer-Griffith, last Sunday, several Diego Martin COP officials and businessmen Joe Pires and Conrad Aleong. The latter two were among those who pioneered the COP. Aleong was also involved in the now-defunct Citizens Alliance with Wendell Mottley (now Unit Trust chairman).
Griffith said, “The two larger parties will require this third force to win and form government. Due to the loss of confidence with the COP there are 200,000 marginal (floating) voters. We’ll galvanise them under this umbrella body and let the two major parties, who have 250,000 voters each, know they cannot win without our backing. This is to ensure there’s no repeat of 2010.
“Marginal voters have no intention to support a Sat Maharaj-type Government—according to his recent comments—in which marginal voters are viewed as a nuisance and irrelevant.” In yesterday’s TG political column, Warner confirmed he and Griffith had continued speaking after Griffith took over Warner’s National Security portfolio in 2013 and he intended now to speak to both Griffiths. Warner hinted another coalition would arise “at the appropriate time.
Asked if Warner was co-ordinating the effort, Griffith said Warner was just one of several involved. Griffith said the core group included “major activists and people, including Fixin’ T&T.” He said the ten at yesterday’s meeting represented various groups and that the group had the backing of business people. He referred the Sunday Guardian to MSJ’s David Abdulah, but Abdulah did not answer his cellphone. Asked if OWTU leader Ancel Roget, who belongs to the JTUM, was on board, Griffith said, “Not yet.”
Asked if the group included PNMites from Arima who were fragmented over the rejection of Penny Beckles-Robinson as PNM candidate in the next general election, he also said, “Not yet.” On whether the new force would seek to link with the PNM, Griffith said the PNM had signalled during the term that it was not averse to linking with other parties. He said the perception had been that third forces should automatically join with the UNC, but, he said, the UNC treated them with disrespect “like COP’s.”
He said he didn’t know the impact of the vehicle on the PNM, but felt both the PNM and UNC wanted Warner’s support. He said the 200,000 floating voters were largely middle class, but also included PNM and UNC “grassroots.” Griffith said: “ILP got more Local Government votes than COP. While ILP now may not be as strong as it was, it had grassroots support from all sides. An amalgam of all our groups, possibly even COP, will be the foundation of a formidable third force.”
Griffith said planning continues this week with “other affiliates.” Griffith suggested Dookeran’s view be sought on the umbrella body. But Dookeran, when contacted on whether he would join the group was briefly silent, before saying, “I don’t know about that at all...”
Suruj: We wish them well
UNC deputy leader Suruj Rambachan said, “We wish them well. The public is much more intelligent than to throw away their votes and cause the PNM to slip into office, knowing the PP has delivered on its performance promises.”
Dookeran speaks
Dookeran on Thursday said he felt “reconceptualisation “ is needed and dialogue with the COP and Dyer-Griffith was positive. That was in response to her statement that she said she wanted to talk to him about his 2014 book, where Dookeran said the “political crisis is here, in 2014 and fragmented society wanted the highest ground of noble purpose.” Dookeran noted calls for new approach to politics and government” and this requiring a new initiative and reconceptualisation of political strategy.
Dookeran is having a minor eye operation and is going to a Caricom meeting in Berlin next week. Former COP chairman Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan said she heard about the Griffith group, but declined comment.