Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan is the new leader of the Congress of the People party in Trinidad and Tobago
Congress of the People
Former government minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan was on Sunday night declared the winner of the opposition Congress of the People (COP) election. The party was part of a coalition government in Trinidad and Tobago during the 2010-15 period.
Seepersad-Bachan urged disenchanted, angry and fragmented supporters to come return to the fold and help rebuild the party that at one stage had been seen as a credible alternative to the two main political parties here – the ruling People’s National Movement and the main opposition United National Congress (UNC).
Inviting people to return to the party
“I am today inviting all to come back to the party, whatever the differences were… differences in opinions. For many of those who felt that we did not get it right…let us get it right. And we can get it right. We must learn to agree to disagree. Not everything I say will be agreeable by all.
The COP, which was co-founded by former finance minister Winston Dookeran, had formed part of the coalition People’s Partnership government of Kamla Persad Bissessar, but the party failed to win a seat in the 2015 general election amid widespread dissatisfaction of its role in the coalition.
Hasn’t ruled out another coalition
Seepersad-Bachan has not ruled out a possible coalition in the future but insisted that there must also be a right formula.
An estimated 40,000 members were eligible to vote during Sunday’s election with the party using an online system allowing members to vote at any polling station across the country.
