PNM pot calling UNC kettle black?

THE EDITOR: It is uncanny the way the PNM always exposes its nefarious side when it points accusing fingers at others. This certainly seems to be the case when it accused the UNC of using the services of Cambridge Analytica in employing illegal data mining techniques during the general elections of September 2015. Somehow the dirty ball landed in the PNM’s court!

Here it is that Dr Rowley and his propaganda machine worked themselves into a tizzy saying all sorts of nasty things about the Partnership government in an attempt to disparage the opposition. As usual, they did not see things as they truly were but were exposing themselves.

It is almost amusing the way they continue to dig pits in the path of others only to tumble headlong into them! If one goes to the URL: http://elitechange.com/expertise/clients-2/, one would find a listing of Elite Change Inc.’s clients proudly displayed. Among them is the “People’s National Movement (Trinidad & Tobago).”

Elite Change Inc. describes itself as “a public affairs and strategic communications firm focused on influencing today’s ever-changing political, business, and public landscape.”

A post on its website (September 8, 2015) proudly asserts that “Houston-based Political Consultant Dallas S. Jones and his firm ELITE Change, Inc. helped secure a victory for the Hon Dr Keith Rowley and the People’s National Political Movement Party in its successful bid to form the Government of Trinidad & Tobago on Monday.”

It added that it was not alone in this but was “brought on by partner firm Vestige Strategies as part of a team of five consultants.” Jones is credited with “designing and executing the comprehensive, nationwide “Get Out The Vote” efforts for Dr Rowley and the People’s National Movement campaign.”

In Vestige Strategies’ website http://www.vestigestrategies.com/pnm-victory-in-trinidad-tobago/, it proudly boasted, on its official website (Sept 8, 2015): “Yesterday, Washington, DC-based civic and community engagement firm Vestige Strategies helped lead Dr Keith Rowley and the People’s National Movement to victory in the 2015 General Election in Trinidad and Tobago.

“Winning 23 of the 41 contested constituency seats, yesterday was a decisive victory for the PNM. Over the course of the past year, Vestige Strategies recruited and deployed a team of 12 former Obama campaign staffers to lead grassroots and digital organizing strategy.”

They cannot help it. Both these firms provided data-mining services to the PNM – services which Dr Rowley has accused the Partnership of using. He is utterly without shame!

STEVE SMITH

Via e-mail