How pan elections can be held

THE EDITOR: Open letter to Beverly Ramsey-Moore, president of Pan Trinbago.

As we all know, the next Pan Trinbago election is constitutionally due between September 1 and October 31. At the ending of October, according to the constitution, you and your executive’s term would be up. You should also be aware that for an extension of your term you must get the approval from your membership by way of an emergency general meeting.

The last time an executive got an extension to its term, a motion was moved, debated and voted on overwhelmingly in favour of granting that extension.

Unless you are planning to have a repeat of this process, there is absolutely no way your executive can be granted an extension, especially taking into consideration that your executive committee is broken with ardent internal conflicts and fragmentation.

Since we have restrictions on physical gatherings at this time due to covid19, communication of the plans to ensure fair and safe elections are long overdue.

To every problem there is a solution and every good leader would develop plans A, B, C, etc to treat with problems that are affecting their membership. Can you please share with your membership your plans to have safe and fair constitutionally due elections, bearing in mind that we are presently in our period of election.

If you don’t have any plans, may I suggest that:

1. You and your team look at similar organisations that have recently held an election and consider using their model. We have been seeing credit unions, with larger memberships and less human resources, successfully hold their conventions and elections.

We have had a general election, a THA election and are currently in the planning stages of another THA election. We have also seen the US presidential election where they had an unprecedented voter turnout.

These are just a few of many that have happened during the covid19 pandemic restrictions.

2. Meet with Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh. Give him a general idea of our usual voter turnout and allow him to give suggestions on the possibilities.We can ascertain, based on his projections as it relates to the country’s covid19 status, if it is best to keep it virtually or physically, and what provisions should be put in place if we decide that it can be done physically.

3. If it needs to be done virtually, let us, through the regions, start building the capacity and the competence to do so. Find out who are lacking access to devices, who are having connectivity problems, ask people to get familiar with whatever platform your executive chooses, whether it is Zoom, Google Meet, etc. Have your regions make sure their members are ready.

The convention never dictates that the members need to gather to vote. Therefore, other suggestions may include voting through regions or at a large open location like the Queen’s Park Savannah.

Madam president, based on our constitution, a convention is called for the sole purpose of elections and reports are given at the annual general meeting (AGM). The convention and the AGM are usually held on the same day for convenience and not by constitutional dictates, therefore no gathering is needed to hold elections.

However, if you insist that the AGM and the triannual convention must be held together, then again the Grand Stand of the Queen's Park Savannah, which can accommodate a legal 25 per cent gathering capacity of our membership, is ideal.

Madam president, the covid19 virus is here to stay and forward-thinking leaders worldwide have found ways to function effectively under the new normal. I am encouraging you to show us how magnificent of a leader you are by sharing your plans on the way we operate within the confines of the new normal and how you are going to roll out the 2021 Pan Trinbago elections.

For any further advice, I am at your service. Contact me at 727-8203. I am more than willing to help you with anything that would uplift the steelband movement.

AQUIL ARRINDELL

San City Steel Symphony