Ramadhar: Members returning to COP By COREY CONNELLY Sunday, December 28 2014 Congress of the People (COP) members who left the party during difficult times are now returning to its fold, political leader Prakash Ramadhar says. Speaking yesterday to Sunday Newsday during a gift distribution drive in his St Augustine constituency, Ramadhar said the COP, which he has led since July 2011, was once again on a growth path. “The COP is in a growth period right now and a lot of the members who had drifted are coming back home to the COP because they realise now that the fundamentals of a country are about a stable economy and building, not breaking,” he said. “We (COP) were able to weather the storm within government, taking all the criticisms and enduring to ensure that the political stability required for growth is present to bring the changes that everybody has spoken about.” The COP, which came into existence in September 2006, is the second major political party in the ruling People’s Partnership coalition Government. Ramadhar, who is also the Legal Affairs Minister, said the COP had initiated moves toward procurement legislation, national planning policies and improvements in health care “and many other great things that many have tried to blind themselves to.” As 2014 draws to a close, Ramadhar said TT experienced many challenges during the course of the year. “But we are a very resilient nation and we have weathered many storms in the past and with the strength and guidance of God, 2015 can be a better year than 2014,” he said. “The best days of this country are ahead of us but it is only so if we as a people are committed to work together to build this nation and to take responsibility where responsibility lies.” Ramadhar, who was accompanied by his eight-year-old daughter, Urvi, during the exercise, predicted a sunny outlook for Trinidad and Tobago despite falling oil prices. “I have to be very optimistic but very realistic at the same time. So, therefore, where challenges come there are great opportunities for us to revisit our work ethic, reset our expectations and to understand that by the sweat of thy brow, man shall eat bread,” he said. “These are fundamental lessons that the country has started to forget and it is important for us to use difficult experiences as a growth opportunity. The future is unknown but we can control it. “Nothing comes without hard work and a good spirit. As leader of the COP and as a member of the Partnership, I am willing to work hard.” As for New Year resolutions, Ramadhar urged citizens to work selflessly in helping those who are less fortunate. “Just continue doing the best you can by giving endlessly. We should never be taken in by the critics and we are seeing many critics, who rather than do something good about things, just want to criticise those who are attempting to,” he said. Ramadhar said yesterday’s toy drive was “organised to alleviate some of the burdens people have and this season of Christmas, even though Christmas Day has passed, I truly believe that Christmas is a state of mind and that we should, every day, of lives live with a sense of hope and generosity.”
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 15:31:55 +0000
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