Members of the United National Congress will vote in a new Executive in the party’s internal elections on Sunday, including the selection of a new leader. 

The race for leadership of the UNC is between the incumbent, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and former Minister of Health Dr. Fuad Khan.

Persad-Bissessar has served as UNC leader over the last 12 years, after defeating founder Basdeo Panday in 2010 before leading the party to a general election victory on May 24th of that same year.

She called the 2022 internal elections on May 21st,  saying she wanted the elections out of the way in order to prepare for the upcoming Local Government Elections.

At a political meeting on Friday night, Persad-Bissessar said she believes now is not the time for a change in leadership, arguing that the UNC needs stability.

“This election is about ensuring our great UNC party is stable, is equipped to rescue T&T… now is not the time to throw away all of what we have achieved,” she told supporters. 

Meanwhile Dr. Khan, who formed part of Persad-Bissessar’s Cabinet in 2010-2015 and served for many years as MP for Barataria/San Juan, said the UNC needed proper and organized leadership.

“When you concentrate on the Parliament alone and you leave the party to suffer, no structure, we have nowhere to go… we can’t continue how we are going and expect success. If you do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result, that is insanity,” he said.

Khan bowed out of active politics in 2020, choosing not to offer himself for service in the 2020 general election.