MSJ internal elections on April 11

THE Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) will hold its internal elections on April 11.

Fourteen of the 15 positions are up for grabs, including that of the political leader, which is now held by David Abdulah. The chair of the MSJ Youth for Social Justice, chosen by that arm of the party, gains automatic membership on the national executive.

After losing all five seats the MSJ contested in the August 10, 2020 general election, Abdulah offered his resignation, which was unanimously rejected by the party’s executive.

Asked if he will be offering himself for leadership for another three-year term, Abdulah replied, “Wait until Friday – nomination day.”

Details of the internal elections were announced by party chairman Gregory Fernandez on Sunday morning at the MSJ news conference at its Lord Street, San Fernando, headquarters.

Fernandez said a new executive is elected every three years. However, the activist council decided to defer the internal elections last year because of the general election and covid19.

Nomination day will be March 26.

Supervising the process will be Gregory Marchan, Sati Gajadhar-Inniss and Cassandra Tommy.

A week after the election, the MSJ will hold its national congress at Palms Club, where the results will be ratified and the new executive sworn in.

Fernandez said the party expects a significant number of new faces to serve on the national executive, “as the party engages in the process of re-invigorating itself as it continues to offer the country the only real alternative to the backward and divisive politics of the PNM and the UNC.”

Asked to explain how it sees itself as an alternative but has never ventured to contest seats in Tobago, Fernandez said MSJ has a political position on Tobago and was deeply concerned about what is happening now with the deadlocked Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election.

“The party would make those decisions at the appropriate time as to whether it sees itself intervening in the politics of Tobago. At this time our focus is on Trinidad. The new executive will take a position on how the party treats with Tobago going forward.”

In terms of party financing, Fernandez said while the MSJ welcomed financial assistance, it was serious about certain principles and not having them violated.

“We are seriously looking at issues to come up with strategies to deal with that. We are open to persons assisting the party but the party has principles that anybody willing to assist the party must adhere to.