South councillor quits UNC

One day after he resigned from the United National Congress (UNC), San Fernando councillor Darren McLeod swore he would continue to do his duty without fear or favour as an independent. Yesterday he took his seat as normal at the corporation’s monthly statutory meeting. It was tense as an issue involving him resulted in the meeting being aborted. As he left the meeting, McLeod was accosted by a woman from Princes Town who said she had invested money in his real estate company which went bust. He said she was not the only person he owed money. He admitted the company folded and he did not have the financial wherewithal now but had every intention of settling his financial issues. 

 

 

McLeod, the councillor for Cocoyea/Tarouba, said poor responses and a lack of support by the ruling People’s Partnership had forced him to resign. He expressed disappointment with the UNC and the PP. He said people have branded him as a troublemaker and a rebel but he had been forced to use unusual tactics to get the job done. He said: “People do not understand that everything I have tried to do in my electoral district has been sabotaged. I have complained to the Prime Minister. Nothing has been done.”  He submitted his letter of resignation to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in her capacity as leader of the UNC. It was hand-delivered to the UNC’s Rienzi Complex headquarters, Couva, on Wednesday. McLeod has been embroiled in several controversies with San Fernando mayor Marlene Coudray. He said no one knew the difficulties he had faced as he attempted to serve the people who elected him.