UNC postpones elections for 2 months

The ruling United National Congress (UNC) has postponed, by two months, its internal election, as the founding leader Basdeo Panday announced plans to "take back the party".

UNC Chairman Austin 'Jack' Warner said that the elections originally scheduled for January 24 next year had been postponed to March 24.

Warner said the recent state of emergency that was imposed here on August 21 and lifted earlier this month contributed to the decision to postpone the elections.

In addition, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is also scheduled to lead a delegation to India in January.

Both Warner and Persad-Bissessar said they welcomed the decision of Panday, a former prime minister, to seek to regain control of the party.

"He is entitled to do so. I see no difficulty with that whatsoever. The electorate will decide. Mr Panday is welcome to contest any elections. We live in a democratic country," said Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, who defeated him for leadership of the party last year.

Warner said that Panday's decision shows it is democracy at its best.

"Mr Panday is free to bring a slate of whoever he wants to. However, Mr Panday, based on his utterances and his actions, is destroying the very legacy he should uphold. I wish him well as I would wish any other contender."

Panday told reporters that those leading the party now have "tarnished its name", and that while he wanted no elected office, he is acceding to numerous requests from party members to rejoin the political fray.