PM: Challenge to PNM political leadership 'life-and-death' situation

THE CHALLENGE for leadership of the People’s National Movement (PNM) is viewed by present political leader and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley as a “life-and-death situation.”

Reporters broached the topic as the Prime Minister opened the Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin on Saturday.

He refused to take any questions apart from the day’s event, but when one slipped in about the challenge mounted against him by former PNM government minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira, Rowley quipped with a mischievous laugh, “That is a life-and death situation,” before walking away from reporters.

He ignored a question as to whether he had filed his nomination papers as a candidate for the leadership of the party. Nomination for elected party positions closes on Monday.

Rowley has projected differing views as to whether or not he has an interest in continuing as prime minister and by extension political leader of the party.

Chairman of the PNM’s Election Supervisory Committee (ESC) Anthony Roberts announced two Saturdays ago that internal elections would take place and all 15 positions, including that of the political leader, were open.

Three days have been set aside for PNM members to vote for their candidates of choice – on November 26 and 27 and on December 4, which is also the date of the party’s convention.

Roberts told the Newsday on Saturday the process is going well and there has been a lot of interest.

He said apart from Nunez-Tesheira he had not heard about any other nominees for the leadership position, which Rowley has held since 2010.

Nunez-Tesheira has also written to Roberts expressing concerns about the voting process.

In the letter which was shared with the media, Nunez-Tesheira said, "It is a matter of grave concern, as it is my understanding that the voting by qualified registrants is to be conducted over two days – November 26 and 27 and again on December 4, almost a week later and on the same date of the national executive elections."

She claimed this "amounts to nine days as the counting of the votes cast will not occur until the final day set aside for voting."

She said while there is no express by-law or rule that the voting process should be completed in one day, it has been the practice and custom from the very inception of the party that voting would be completed and votes immediately counted in the presence of appointed representatives.

Roberts said he had a glance of the statement published in the media, but had not got it.

“I don’t communicate with party members on the news. It (the letter) did not come to me. I received no written correspondence from Mrs Nunez-Tesheira or anyone else.”

Roberts asserted, “That is not the practice in the PNM. If you have a problem, come, let us discuss it.”