PF uncertain about running for election

FLASHBACK: Political leader of the Patriotic Front party Mickela Panday, touches elbows with her father and general election campaign manager Basdeo Panday at a press conference in June. On Tuesday, she announced the party would not contest the general election. FILE PHOTO -
FLASHBACK: Political leader of the Patriotic Front party Mickela Panday, touches elbows with her father and general election campaign manager Basdeo Panday at a press conference in June. On Tuesday, she announced the party would not contest the general election. FILE PHOTO -

THE Patriotic Front's (PF) participation in the August 10 general election seems to be in doubt.

In a radio interview on Monday, PF political leader Mickela Panday said this was "three weeks that one has to fight a general election in 41 constituencies."

At a news conference in Chaguanas on June 25, Panday announced the PF's intention to contest all 41 seats.

At the last sitting of the House of Representatives on July 3, the Prime Minister said he had advised President Paula-Mae Weekes to dissolve the Parliament and he announced the election date.

On Monday Panday was non-committal.

"We had to look as a whole and say was the PF simply born to say yes, we were going to fight the 2020 general election? Well, no."

Nomination Day is Friday. The PNM is fielding 41 candidates and the UNC 39.

The MSJ, PEP, COP, PDP and NOW have also announced candidates.

Media personality Errol Fabien and activist Inshan Ishmael are contesting as independents.

PF officials said a statement outlining the party's position on the election will be issued soon.

Panday said whatever decision is made, the PF is in it for the long haul.

While the PF has spoken with other political parties, its leader said, "We will not be joining with anybody for joining's sake." She said the time for this was past and political coalitions had failed.

Nevetheless, she said the PF has had talks with other political parties about possible coalition arrangements. But there has been no communication between the PF and the UNC.

UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has publicly said the UNC will not partner with any other party for the election.

Panday said a vote for the PF is neither a wasted vote nor one that will split another party's votes. She said statistics from the Elections and Boundaries Commission and the Central Statistical Office show that less than half of the electorate votes for the PNM and the UNC.

Panday also said that if people are voting for one party because it is less corrupt than another, they are still "voting for corruption."

She said her father, former prime minister Basdeo Panday, was the PF's campaign manager and would be supported by a team of people from his 1995-2001 administration.

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"PF uncertain about running for election"

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