Mickela Panday, political leader of Patriotic Front (PF), wants TT to be a place where people and their politics were not divided along racial lines as that division is one of the issues that keeps the country from advancing.
In an e-mail interview with Newsday she said, “I do not believe in promoting tribal politics. It has stalled this country’s progress for too long. My base will be all patriots who want a better TT. Those who believe in fairness and equality. Those who believe in accountability, transparency and meritocracy. Those who believe that everybody should have opportunity and that TT and all its people deserve better.”
On May 25, on what would have been her late father’s, Basdeo Panday’s, 91st birthday and her party’s fifth anniversary, Panday announced her party’s intention to contest all 41 seats of the next general election.
When she launched her campaign at Twin Walls, San Fernando, she said, “We seek candidates who will listen to the people, who will be a true voice for their constituents in the halls of power. If you believe in our values and are passionate about serving your constituency, we encourage you to step forward.”
With the ideas of accountability, transparency and meritocracy in the forefront, Panday is hoping to draw those who believe in fairness and equality to serve the country under her banner.
Panday said she planned to build and expand on her father’s political support base.
The elder Panday was a lawyer, economist and actor but, he was predominantly a trade unionist. He was the president general of the All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union which eventually expanded to include workers from other industries to become the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers’ Trade Union.
The sugar workers from central and south Trinidad as well as the union became his main political base at the time.
He was a founding member of several political parties, including the United National Congress (UNC), and was prime minister from 1995-2001. He was removed as UNC leader in January 2010 and bowed out of electoral politics in May of that year.
His daughter served as MP for Oropouche West from December 2007 to April 2010.
Panday told Newsday TT was a democracy, so no political party owned anyone’s vote.
She said if people who voted for a particular party in past general elections decide to vote for her party in the next, it will be because the party gave them a viable option.
She said her focus was on winning the 2025 election, not weakening anyone’s chances.
She said the UNC had lost the last two general elections without any party splitting the vote.
“I would hope that those who say that are not implying that all we can only ‘pull fenceline UNC supporters’ because that would be to say that all other voters don’t have a mind of their own and that the youth don’t have a very important role to play. Both of which would be incorrect and very ill informed.”
Panday made a similar announcement to run for the next general election on June 25, 2020 at a news confe
