Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar has fired back at party members who are upset over her leadership of the United National Congress, questioning on what basis such persons believe they would be a better leader for the party. 

Addressing the matter at the UNC Virtual meeting on Monday night, Persad-Bissessar accused her “haters” of wanting to use the party as a vehicle to form government. 

“You want to come to me and say your uncle or father was an MP, or believe that if you have money, or that you think you are some high class or caste and never worked in the party and must get a seat.,” Persad-Bissessar said. 

She pledged to continue supporting young persons in the party who have earned their promotion in the party. 

“Let’s look at one example, the MP for Moruga Tableland Michelle Benjamin, who joined the party in 2010” she said.

“In 2016 she entered electoral politics in the Local Government election when she contested the St Mary’s/Hindustan electoral district and won. She worked for 6 years as an activist before becoming a councillor,” the UNC leader said, asking “What’s wrong with promoting hard working UNC activists and councillors?

Though not naming anyone in her speech, Persad-Bissessar’s comments come just days after former UNC Minister Devant Maharaj announced plans to contest leadership of the party in the upcoming internal elections. 

Maharaj has been one of the strongest voices critiquing the UNC leader’s performance after she led the party to another defeat at the August 10th polls.