By SEAN DOUGLAS Saturday, August 15 2009

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OPPOSITION Leader Basdeo Panday...

OPPOSITION Leader Basdeo Panday plans to sit under a tree to meet the constituents of Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner, he told Newsday in reaction to learning that he will no longer have available the office of Chaguanas Deputy Mayor, Orlando Nagessar.

Chaguanas Mayor Natasha Navas yesterday took away Nagessar’s office, saying it was now to be used by all councillors, thereby depriving Panday of a base he has been using for the past two Thursdays to act as a “surrogate” MP to try to sideline Warner.

Panday was unfazed. “If I have to sit under a tree, I will. What does it matter?”

He vowed to continue to meet with the Chaguanas West constituents. “It seems there is a fear for me to meet to deal with their problems. I thought that was the function of politics.” He said that this Thursday he would return to the premises of the Chaguanas Borough Corpora-tion, saying “Yes I will; yes I will”.

Chaguanas Deputy Mayor, Orlando Nagessar could not be reached.

Local Government Minister Hazel Manning yesterday and Thursday met Navas and the CBC councillors.

A spokesman for Manning said the CBC had indicated its opposition to Panday using the Deputy Mayor’s office and this stance would be communicated to him. Nagessar was among those present, said the source.

Regarding the validity of Warner’s cheque, the spokesman said Manning’s meeting with the CBC on Thursday had centred on providing more information to the Attorney-General who has requested details. “The Ministry of Local Government will give the Attorney-General further information through the borough CEO, William Mark”.

A spokesman for Attorney-General, John Jeremie, yesterday said it would take one to two weeks to do the research to answer a query by Local Government Minister Hazel Manning as to whether it is lawful for Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner to donate $309,000 to pay 54 council contract-workers.