By NALINEE SEELAL Friday, November 16 2007

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MPs in the House: UNC Alliance Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar shakes hands with St Augustine MP Vasant Bharat at President's House, St Ann's yester...

President George Maxwell Richards broke with tradition yesterday to present an emotionless Basdeo Panday with his instrument of appointment as Opposition Leader, at Presi-dent’s House in a ceremony that lasted less than two minutes.

In the past the instrument of appointment was sent to the office of the Leader of the Opposition, but President Richards said that after consulting with Panday, the decision was taken to make the presentation at President’s House in St Ann’s.

The President said the event was not a swearing in ceremony and added that Panday and members of the Opposition will be sworn in when the Parliament convenes.

The President also broke tradition on November 7 when he agreed to preside over the public swearing in of Prime Minister Patrick Manning at Woodford Square in Port-of-Spain.

Panday later told reporters that constitutional reform, crime, water problems, and the high food prices are some of the critical issues he will raise as Opposition Leader.

“Certainly constitutional reform, because of the fiasco that has taken place in the country for a long time indicates the need for constitutional reform,” Panday said.

While he was tight-lipped about his choice of Chief Whip or who his six UNC senators will be, Newsday has learnt that Panday has chosen Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj as Chief Whip.

The UNC Senators are Wade Mark, Dr Carson Charles, Dr Adesh Nanan, Dr Suruj Rambachan, Dr Daphne Phillips, and Jennifer Jones-Kernahan.

He added that he was happy to receive his instrument of appointment at President’s House where he felt safe and found the setting very comfortable.

Panday slammed Prime Minister Manning’s decision to hold a Cabinet retreat at Salybia Nature Resort, saying “it should not have been a retreat but a surrender.”

According to Panday, the citizens of the country are facing the pressure of the unending crime situation, and the Prime Minister and his Minister of National Security are eating three square meals a day, in a posh setting, with ample security, while people are being murdered, raped, terrorised and living without the basic water in their taps to cook, bathe and wash clothes.

Panday said receiving the instrument of appointment was no big deal since he had done this before and added that it was without emotion. He underscored the importance of proportional representation to replace the current first-past the -post electoral system.

Panday is hoping that Parliament will be convened early so that the country can get on with the business of the day.

Former Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who witnessed the occasion, said she was eager to go back to Parliament.

“There are many national issues that need to be raised in the People’s House, and I understand that the Prime Minister intends to travel out of the country, and I call upon him to convene the Parliament before he travels.” Manning is expected to travel to Uganda for a Commonwealth Heads of Government summit.

“My information is that there is no notification to the Parliament staff when the Parliament will be sitting,” she added.