UNC errors give PNM advantage

THE EDITOR: It comes as no surprise that the PNM is way ahead of the UNC in screening candidates.

In 2015 the UNC had all the advantages of incumbency and lost. Coupled with this lateness in the announcement of a host of candidates who evoked the response, "Who he” or “Who she?"

The UNC's announcement of Ahloy Hunt, the brother of former PNM minister Gary Hunt, as a candidate has brought no advantage in my opinion. Hunt goes up against Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh who won the St Joseph seat in 2013 and 2015. In both instances he won against the UNC with the strength of government behind it.

Both losses came down to UNC's self-inflicted errors. In fact, the UNC has never done a post-mortem on the reasons it went from 29 seats in 2010 to 18 seats in 2015. The argument that the PP was the government and not UNC is superfluous.

Despite the compendium of mistakes and blunders, the PNM can still win the 2020 election, thanks to the UNC. It is actually mind-boggling. In fact, it can be argued that the UNC has already conceded three marginal seats to the PNM. It seems 2020 is slipping away from the UNC.

To change course, UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar must move swiftly to remove the dead wood from her Opposition bench. Many of them on that bench have made no impression in five years in Parliament.

Ironically, Dr Tim Gopeesingh and Dr Surujrattan Rambachan, two of the finest minds in the UNC, are heading for the exit. But it is not surprising that most MPs want to stay to keep warming the benches and eating Parliament food. It is time for the big moves, Persad-Bissessar.

This election is the end of the political road for someone. Is it Persad-Bissessar or Dr Rowley?

BHAVAN RAMADHAR

Barataria