Political parties ready for election

Nikoli Edwards -
Nikoli Edwards -

Political parties say they will be ready for the general election whenever Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announces the date.

Speaking on Tobago Channel 5’s morning show, Rise and Shine, on June 2, Rowley said Parliament would be dissolved in July.

He said, “We are coming to the point at the end of this term. I have been in Government now, I have been your Prime Minister now, for four, almost five years. The parliamentary term… life of this Parliament will come to an end towards the end of September, and under the Constitution, once it goes to that end, you have 90 days... no more than 90 days to call the elections. If the Parliament is prorogued before that, whatever date it’s prorogued you have 90 days. So we are now in June. So the elections are due.”

However, a source with the PNM said Parliament might not be dissolved in July. He said, under the House of Representatives Standing Orders, Parliament goes into recess in July, which would last until September. When it resumes in September, it will be prorogued shortly, but probably not immediately, thereafter.

Bobbi Rogers, EBC Communications Manager explained that in accordance with Section 68 (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of TT, Parliament, unless sooner dissolved, would continue for five years from the date of its first sitting after any dissolution. In this case, the first Sitting of the first Session of the 11th Republican Parliament took place on September 23, 2015, so the life of this Parliament will expire of September 22, 2020.

She stressed that the Constitution allows for Parliament to be dissolved before that date, and can, therefore, lead to an early election. Section 69 of the Constitution states that a general election should be held within three months after the dissolution of Parliament.

“The election cycle has a minimum of 35 days but it is based on the election date. The writ of election is issued by the President and a minimum of 14 days thereafter is Nomination Day. The Election Day is statutorily due, a minimum of 21 days after Nomination Day.

Nikoli Edwards, political leader of the Progressive Party said he expected the party to be ready by the time the election is called and expected to have “some level of success” in the election. He said the party was in the process of screening candidates for various constituencies.

He said there were some setbacks with the onset of covid19, as well as the fact that they were “starting from scratch” as a new party. However, he said the party was receiving a lot of interest and support and the process was rewarding.

He said the party would like to screen all 41 seats but that depended on who volunteered for screening. “We’re not about putting people there just to take up space. When we screen, we’re looking for people who are from the constituency, care about it, and are active in the constituency.”

He added that the announcement questioned the sincerity of the government to pass the Representation of The People (Amendment) Bill, 2020 as it needed a simple majority to be passed but was instead sent to a joint select committee.

“The PM gave an undertaking to the joint select committee to return with a report by August 31. Now that the PM has mentioned that Parliament is supposed to dissolve in July, that brings into question what would happen to that bill.

“It gives the impression that the PM and the PNM government has simply put out this legislation to appease the nation because campaign finance reform was one of their manifesto promises but it will not see the light of day after Parliament dissolves.”

Public Relations Officer of the UNC, Anita Hayes, said the party was ready for the general election. She said party members were working “non-stop” in communities across the country with co-ordinators in seats where there are UNC MPs.

“Our work continues but, like all of TT, we anxiously await the moment that election date is given. It's time to get TT moving forward and working again.”

Progressive Empowerment Party political leader Phillip Edward Alexander said his party predicted a September 7 election date as government’s term in office would end in September. Therefore, the party had been in “election mode” for the past year.

Phillip Alexander -

He said the PEP intended to function as a national party and so would produce candidates for all 41 seats. He said the party was in the process of screening candidates and would present those confirmed virtually if the last phases on the lifting of covid19 restrictions did not allow for gatherings.

“We have the fortunate position of being the biggest party on social media. Then because of the covid19 lockdown we were already in a position to take our message digitally.”

Fuad Abu Bakr, political leader of New National Vision said the Better United coalition, which includes the Congress of the People, anticipated that the election would be held in late August. He said his party had been “ready and rumbling for a while now” and expected the coalition to run for 21 seats.

He added that the party’s screening process was open until June 15 and encouraged citizens to vote for change on Election Day.

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