PM: UNC accusations against EBC meant to justify election loss

THE PRIME Minister has described the UNC's accusations against the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) as "irresponsible."

He was speaking Tuesday at a media conference held at Balisier House, Port of Spain.

UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, defeated UNC candidate in St Joseph Ahloy Hunt and other UNC representatives criticised the conduct of the elections by the EBC. The party requested recounts in five constituencies – La Horquetta/Talparo, Toco/Sangre Grande, St Joseph, San Fernando West and Tunapuna – and the recounts confirmed the PNM had won in all five.

Rowley said the Opposition was being very irresponsible in its criticisms of the EBC.

"Granted that an election defeat is hard to take and it generates disappointment that is one thing. And I can understand that. I mean you expect to win and you lose and you will be disappointed. But to go out of your way to tarnish the officers and the entity I think you are crossing the line there. And a lot of what I saw coming out in an attempt to damn the EBC some of it was just pure rubbish, some of it was just unnecessary, some of it wasn't even covered by law and I just though that that was an attempt to justify having not won the election."

He said that was not helpful because, in TT, the EBC is not controlled or governed by political entities.

"It is an independent body. It is one of our premier institutions and as far as the PNM is concerned we will only raise matters with the EBC if those concerns are valid. What we were seeing in the last week were a lot of invalid and unnecessary accusations hoping to tarnish the Commission and its work to justify the loss of an election. And I don't think that helps TT."

He said he saw a correspondence where Persad-Bissessar had used a disparaging term regarding the elections.

"I would disregard that as the last gasp of a drowning person. Because our election was very well run. And considering that this election was done during a pandemic it was very well done.

"And, by and large, we came out of it and that's behind us now and I don't want to spend any more time analysing the election because it was done in full public view. And up until 9.30, 10 on Monday night everybody who took part in this election had a good report of the exercise."

He said he was satisfied with the EBC and he had absolutely no complaints.