Former prime minister Basdeo Panday said he would not be holding his breath on Government and Opposition members standing together against crime.
During an address at the ceremonial opening of the Fourth Session of the 12th Parliament yesterday, President Christine Kangaloo called on those assembled in the parliamentary chamber to “join hands across the aisle and collaborate on how to stem crime and criminal conduct.”
Panday, however, while speaking to media at the Red House Rotunda after the ceremony, said he would not be holding his breath on Government and Opposition members standing together against crime.
He asked: “How can you put aside differences between the Opposition and the Government. The Government wants to keep them in Opposition and the Opposition wants to take the Government’s position, they are at war. When they are at war, how you expect them to co-operate?
“You expect the Opposition to co-operate with the Government to win the next election, or you expect Government to cooperate with the Opposition for them to win the next election, surely not, I don’t think so,” he said.