Kamla, Vasant face off in UNC internal election

BETWEEN 8 am and 6 pm on Sunday, UNC party members will decide whether they will continue to hold faith with incumbent leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar or give former People's Partnership (PP) government minister Vasant Bharath a chance to lead them.

Sunday Newsday was told there are 114,000 people who are eligible to vote in the internal elections. Voting will be held in all 41 constituencies, not just the 19 constituencies in Trinidad which are represented in Parliament by UNC MPs. This is reflected by the fact that there is a UNC polling station at the corner of Riseland and Carnabee Road in Tobago for party members who reside in Tobago East and Tobago West constituencies to cast vote. The UNC did not contest either constituency in the August 10 general election.

On Saturday, Oropouche West MP Dave Tancoo and former Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial declared things were looking positive for their respective Team Star and Team Lotus slates.

The month-long internal election campaign has seen heated exchanges between Persad-Bissessar and Bharath as they vied for the UNC's leadership. Persad-Bissessar accused Bharath of helping the PNM to win the general election, of being elitist and presenting a slate of candidates which lacked diversity. She has argued that her Star Team provides the best option for the UNC

Bharath countered that Persad-Bissessar failed to accept responsibility for the UNC's 11 consecutive electoral defeats (including the recent general election) and lacked vision to take the party forward. He called on UNC members and supporters to set aside their culture of loyalty and support the people best suited to lead the party. Bharath has also argued that Sunday's elections will determine whether the UNC remains a political force to be reckoned with or will fade into extinction.

During the campaign, Bharath complained about several electoral irregularities and said the UNC internal elections committee was unwilling to meet with him to discuss his concerns. Committee chairman Ramesh Persad-Maharaj countered Bharath's claims, underscoring the integrity and independence of the committee and its members. Former government minister Devant Maharaj pulled out of the leadership race also raising concerns about irregularities.

Last Monday, Commissioner of Police Gary (CoP) Griffith met with members of the committee to discuss arrangements for the conduct of the elections.

In a statement, the police said the meeting dealt with preserving order and ensuring adherence to covid19 protocols in the run-up to and on election day. Griffith stressed the importance of wearing masks, practising physical distancing and avoiding unnecessary congregating at polling stations as well as at the returning centre. He advised that markings be placed on the ground to aid physical distancing six feet apart, along pathways leading to the polling centres, extending all the way to the polling clerk. Deputy CoP (operations) Anthony James, who also attended the meeting, said the police would provide an adequate level of coverage at all polling stations, including both static and mobile patrols. James said a greater focus will be given to areas where a greater voter turnout is anticipated.

Persad-Bissessar was first elected UNC leader on January 24, 2010 defeating party founder Basdeo Panday. She was re-elected leader in October 2015, once month after the UNC-led PP coalition was defeated by the PNM in the September 7, 2015 general election and subsequently disbanded. Going into the internal election, Persad-Bissessar has the support of the 18 UNC MPs who sit with her in the House of Representatives and the UNC's six members in the Senate.

Bharath meanwhile has been endorsed by several former UNC parliamentarians and government ministers for the party's leadership. Among those supporting Bharath are Jack Warner, Carlos John, Mervyn Assam, Robin Montano, Nizam Baksh and Christine Newallo Hosein.

In an interview on November 17, Panday predicted the UNC has no future, regardless of whoever wins the election. "I don't think about it because it doesn't matter. It is six of one and half a dozen of the other." He declared, "I think once something genuine comes upon the scene, this thing that calls itself the UNC will die a natural death."

UNC internal election slates

TEAM STAR

Kamla Persad-Bissessar – political leader

Jearlean John – deputy political leader

Dr Lackram Bodoe – deputy political leader

David Lee – deputy political leader

Dave Tancoo – chairman

Khadijah Ameen – vice -chairman

Monifa Russell Andrews – research officer

Sean Sobers – policy & strategy officer

William Archie – treasurer

Neil Gosine – north east regional representative

Shanty Boodram – south regional representative

Imam Rasheed Karim – central regional representative

Eli Zakour – north west regional representative

Bheemal Ramlogan – Tobago regional representative

Nicholas Morris – international relations officer

Don Sylvester – election officer

Clifton De Coteau – education officer

Ravi Ratiram – party organiser

TEAM LOTUS

Vasant Bharath – political leader

Larry Lalla – chairman

Ramona Ramdial – deputy political leader

Dr Stephen Ramroop – deputy political leader

Joe Pires – deputy political leader

Barrington "Skippy" Thomas – Tobago coordinator

Jason Peru – north west regional representative

Prakash Williams – party organiser

Anil Ramjit – south regional representative

Nazima Ali Knox – research officer

Andrew Mungal – central representative coordinator

Chunilal Bedassie – policy and strategy officer

Winston Siriram – treasurer

Dr Ramchand Rampersad – education officer

Kamini Ramraj – elections officer

Candice Mohan – north east regional representative

Hershael Ramesar – vice chairman

Joey Harrynan – international affairs officer