BASDEO PANDAY was not too concerned about not being a candidate in yesterday’s general election in Trinidad and Tobago.Speaking to the DAILY NATION at 10:52 a.m., just after he and his wife Oma voted, he said: “I have done this for about 40 years . . . . At some time one must change one’s direction in life.”The man who founded the United National Congress (UNC) party two decades ago but was defeated by Kamla Persad-Bissessar in an election for the leadership of the party on January 24, and then replaced as Leader of the Opposition on February 24, would not comment on Persad-Bissessar’s chances of leading the UNC to victory.Panday was not selected by the UNC element of the People’s Partnership (PP) coalition to defend the Couva North seat he had contested in ten general elections up to 2007.His daughter Mickela and brother Subhas were also not selected by the party’s screening committee to contest the seats they had won in the 2007 poll.Asked what she thought about her husband not being a candidate in the election, wife Oma said: “Great. [He has] more time for me.” (SP)
