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Congress of the People (Trinidad and Tobago)
Encyclopedia
The Congress of the People (COP) is a political party in Trinidad and Tobago
. It is led by Prakash Ramadhar . Its symbol is the "Circle of Circles".
announced at a rally that he was leaving the UNC and forming a new party . Dookeran and his supporters had been engaged in internal party feuding with the UNC executive which was loyal to party founder (then Chairman and former Leader) Basdeo Panday
.
Dookeran was soon joined by UNC MPs Ganga Singh (who became the Party Whip) and Manohar Ramsaran. Two Independent MPs who had previously left the UNC, Gillian Lucky
and Gerald Yetming
, also joined the new party.
Former UNC Senator
s Robin Montano, Roy Augustus, Carol Seepersad Bachan and Sadiq Baksh also joined. Additionally the entire Constituency Executives for Chaguanas and San Fernando West also quit the UNC. The support for Dookeran served as the catalyst for the formation of the new movement.
After the internal elections of the United National Congress Dookeran, accompanied by then-Senator Sadiq Baksh, began meeting with the members and supporters of the UNC. It was during these 'Walkabouts' that Selwyn Samaroo got involved with Dookeran's campaign and began working the Tabaquite
Constituency promoting the concept of New Politics. Selwyn Samaroo working with grass-roots members of the Tabaquite Constituency drafted a strategic plan document which detailed numerous strategies to address the social and economic needs of the people of the constituency. This plan was submitted to Dookeran, who later adopted its recommendations and suggested that similar plans be develop for all 41 Constituencies.
On a Morning Edition
program in November 2005, Samaroo announced that the members and supporters of the Tabaquite UNC Party Group # 3255 had thrown their support behind Dookeran and called on then Member of Parliament Dr. Adesh Nanan to support the duly-elected Political Leader of the UNC.
This was the beginning of the work that led to the ground-swell of support for the UNC Political Leader and later became the strongest support base for Dookeran and the New Politics. Other initiators and central figures in the evolution of the COP were Roger Ramcharitar, Rene Bermudez, and Errol Hosein. On July 23, 2006 Samaroo interrupted the proceeding at the Hindu Credit Union Convention center and read aloud what later became known as the Freeport Declaration, calling on Dookeran to leave the UNC and follow the desire of the thousands gathered there toward the formation of a "New Political Vehicle."
Samaroo is currently teaching World Politics at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and is a regular contributor to the Editor of the leading newspapers of Trinidad and Tobago.
, the selected Candidate for the COP in that elections.
On 10 December 2006, the COP held its inaugural conference at its Operations Centre in Chaguanas
.
In the parliamentary
elections held on 24 May 2010, the party joined forces with four other policital parties to form the new People's Partnership Government. The party won 6 of the 41 seats contested.
In internal party elections in 2011 Prakash Ramadhar defeated Anil Roberts and Vernon De Lima to succeed Dookeran as the new Political Leader.
At present, the Congress of the People's Leadership team consists of Prakash Ramadhar as Political Leader, and Wendy Lee Yuen and Robert Mayers as Deputy Political Leaders. The party's chairman is Joseph Tony, and its deputy chairman is Vernon De Lima. The leader of the COP Youth Congress is Kieron Joseph Samaroo
, and the leader of the Women's Forum is Dr. Lena Breton Wolfe.
The leadership team also includes the General Secretary, Kama Maharaj; Secretary of Finance, Dr. Anirudh Mahabir; Secretary of Field Operations, Sarwannand Ragbir; Secretary of Education and Research, Clyde Weatherhead; Secretary of Communications and Public Relations, Dr. Omar Ali and Party Administrator, Conrad Aleong.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. It is led by Prakash Ramadhar . Its symbol is the "Circle of Circles".
History
The party was formed on 10 September 2006 by Winston Dookeran, then the embattled Political Leader of the United National CongressUnited National Congress
The United National Congress is one of the two major political parties in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and one of the parties in the current ruling coalition. It was founded by Basdeo Panday, a lawyer and former trade unionist. The UNC was formed as the result of a split in the ruling...
announced at a rally that he was leaving the UNC and forming a new party . Dookeran and his supporters had been engaged in internal party feuding with the UNC executive which was loyal to party founder (then Chairman and former Leader) Basdeo Panday
Basdeo Panday
Basdeo Panday was the 5th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2001 and has served as Leader of the Opposition from 1976–1977, 1978–1986, 1989–1995 and 2001–2010. He was first elected to Parliament in 1976 as the Member for Couva North. He is the former...
.
Dookeran was soon joined by UNC MPs Ganga Singh (who became the Party Whip) and Manohar Ramsaran. Two Independent MPs who had previously left the UNC, Gillian Lucky
Gillian Lucky
Gillian Lucky is a Trinidad and Tobago politician and lawyer. Since 2001 she has been United National Congress Member of Parliament for the Pointe-à-Pierre constituency...
and Gerald Yetming
Gerald Yetming
Gerald Yetming is a Trinidad and Tobago politician and businessman. Since 2002 he has served as the Member of Parliament representing the constituency of St. Joseph in the House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago for the Opposition United National Congress...
, also joined the new party.
Former UNC Senator
Senate of Trinidad and Tobago
The Senate of Trinidad and Tobago is the appointed Upper House of the bicameral Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. The Senate sits in the Red House in Port of Spain...
s Robin Montano, Roy Augustus, Carol Seepersad Bachan and Sadiq Baksh also joined. Additionally the entire Constituency Executives for Chaguanas and San Fernando West also quit the UNC. The support for Dookeran served as the catalyst for the formation of the new movement.
After the internal elections of the United National Congress Dookeran, accompanied by then-Senator Sadiq Baksh, began meeting with the members and supporters of the UNC. It was during these 'Walkabouts' that Selwyn Samaroo got involved with Dookeran's campaign and began working the Tabaquite
Tabaquite
Tabaquite is a town in central Trinidad, north of Rio Claro and west of Navet.- Overview :Tabaquite is a primarily rural area and suffers from infrastructural neglect...
Constituency promoting the concept of New Politics. Selwyn Samaroo working with grass-roots members of the Tabaquite Constituency drafted a strategic plan document which detailed numerous strategies to address the social and economic needs of the people of the constituency. This plan was submitted to Dookeran, who later adopted its recommendations and suggested that similar plans be develop for all 41 Constituencies.
On a Morning Edition
Morning Edition
Morning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
program in November 2005, Samaroo announced that the members and supporters of the Tabaquite UNC Party Group # 3255 had thrown their support behind Dookeran and called on then Member of Parliament Dr. Adesh Nanan to support the duly-elected Political Leader of the UNC.
This was the beginning of the work that led to the ground-swell of support for the UNC Political Leader and later became the strongest support base for Dookeran and the New Politics. Other initiators and central figures in the evolution of the COP were Roger Ramcharitar, Rene Bermudez, and Errol Hosein. On July 23, 2006 Samaroo interrupted the proceeding at the Hindu Credit Union Convention center and read aloud what later became known as the Freeport Declaration, calling on Dookeran to leave the UNC and follow the desire of the thousands gathered there toward the formation of a "New Political Vehicle."
Samaroo is currently teaching World Politics at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and is a regular contributor to the Editor of the leading newspapers of Trinidad and Tobago.
Leaving the UNC
Samaroo and the Tabaquite Constituency thereafter became the standard bearers of Dookeran's New Politics. Because of the strength of this support Tabaquite was considered 'ground zero' during the 2007 Parliamentary Elections. Samaroo supported Anand RamloganAnand Ramlogan
Anand Ramlogan is a human rights attorney-at-law in Trinidad, and the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago.. He is married to His Trinidadian Wife Nalini Ramlogan and has two kids, he is a graduate of Queen Mary and Westfield College in the University of London and University of Westminster...
, the selected Candidate for the COP in that elections.
On 10 December 2006, the COP held its inaugural conference at its Operations Centre in Chaguanas
Chaguanas
The Borough of Chaguanas is the largest municipality 2000 census) and fastest-growing town in Trinidad and Tobago. Located in Central Trinidad about south of Port of Spain. It grew in size due to its proximity to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery. It remained a minor town until the 1980s when it...
.
In the parliamentary
House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago
The House of Representatives is the elected Lower House of the bicameral Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. The House of Representatives sits in the Red House in Port of Spain. It has 41 members, each elected to represent single-seat constituencies...
elections held on 24 May 2010, the party joined forces with four other policital parties to form the new People's Partnership Government. The party won 6 of the 41 seats contested.
In internal party elections in 2011 Prakash Ramadhar defeated Anil Roberts and Vernon De Lima to succeed Dookeran as the new Political Leader.
At present, the Congress of the People's Leadership team consists of Prakash Ramadhar as Political Leader, and Wendy Lee Yuen and Robert Mayers as Deputy Political Leaders. The party's chairman is Joseph Tony, and its deputy chairman is Vernon De Lima. The leader of the COP Youth Congress is Kieron Joseph Samaroo
Kieron Joseph Samaroo
Kieron Joseph Samaroo is the a Trinidadian born politician and talk show host.. He is the chairman of the COP Youth Congress. This is the youth arm of the Congress of the Peoplea political party in Trinidad and Tobago...
, and the leader of the Women's Forum is Dr. Lena Breton Wolfe.
The leadership team also includes the General Secretary, Kama Maharaj; Secretary of Finance, Dr. Anirudh Mahabir; Secretary of Field Operations, Sarwannand Ragbir; Secretary of Education and Research, Clyde Weatherhead; Secretary of Communications and Public Relations, Dr. Omar Ali and Party Administrator, Conrad Aleong.
External links
- Congress of the People Official website of the Congress of the People.