Rowley will win PNM poll

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley would more than likely return as political leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM) after the party’s September 16 internal election.

This is the view of political observers and analysts, two days after the party announced the date of the internal poll.

“The Prime Minister will not necessarily be challenged and if there is a challenger, that challenger would normally be somebody who is not so strong in the party.

“So, the sitting Prime Minister will win unanimously,” says political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath, head of the Department of Behavioural Sciences at St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies.

Ragoonath said it was in this context that he saw no major challenges to Rowley.

“There may be challenges but it may not be at any significant level. The party will not change its leader mid-stream.”

After weeks of speculation, PNM chairman Franklin Khan announced at a post-general council news conference on Thursday that the party’s internal election will be held on September 16.

Khan also said all executive positions will be up for grabs.

As of yesterday, there were no announcements of challengers to Rowley.

However, there is speculation that former PNM minister Mariano Browne is considering challenging the post.

Political commentator Ralph Maraj said Rowley would win the internal election.

“I’ll be surprised if there is any challenger, though one can never tell,” he said.

Maraj said a political party in Government seldom changed its political leader in the midst of an administration.

“The priority, I think, for party members in our system, is solidarity and stability of the Government and whilst there is the perception among the ranks with the performance of the Government, it is hardly likely that Rowley could be dethroned in this election.”

Rowley, who became PNM leader in June 2010, had challenged late prime minister Patrick Manning for the position, years before, in 1996, but lost.

On that occasion, the election was conducted under the party’s delegate system.

In the May 2014 internal election, Rowley defeated sole contender Penelope Beckles-Robinson by a landslide, under the new one man, one vote system.

Meanwhile, party sources said walkabouts and cottage meetings are expected to intensify in the coming weeks in the run up to the internal election.