Election warning

WE WISH all the parties best of luck and call for responsible conduct as we head to next Monday’s local government election.

We also endorse the call issued on Wednesday by Snr Supt Kerwin Francis for the public to heed the laws and regulations governing polling day, specifically those prohibiting congregating in and around polling stations, attempts to influence voters, the use of intoxicating liquor and the wearing of party colours.

In this vein, we welcome the police’s assurance that all polling stations will be sufficiently manned with police officers to ensure good order is maintained.

This country has a long tradition of free and fair elections. Despite our divisive politics and the complexities of our society, we do not have a history of election day turmoil, unlike some other post-colonial nations riven with strife.

“We should be very proud and very happy that we are conducting our business by way of an election,” the Prime Minister noted on Thursday at his last post-Cabinet media briefing ahead of the poll. He ruled out the need for international election observers, saying this was not the norm for local government polls, but nonetheless warned that the potential for violence should not be disregarded.

If violence is on the minds of voters, it will most likely be in the form of concerns about crime and its impact on our society and because of specific issues that have arisen on the campaign trail, such as the question of the proliferation of guns in our society and calls for more sanctioned weapons in the hands of law-abiding citizens.

Ironically, a local government election that was premised on the notion of legislative reform of the current municipal systems has turned out to be a platform for the ventilation of national-level politics. Quite plainly, the approach of the opposition parties has been to regard the poll as a referendum on the sitting government, which will remain in place after next Monday as long as the Parliament is not dissolved.

To some extent, local government elections have come to be regarded as “mid-terms” for incumbent governments. But any gains on the part of the Opposition will be hailed as a victory ahead of the general election, due at latest by 2025.

It is also the case that gains by the governing party will be capitalised by the PNM and will be an opportunity to heap pressure on Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s leadership of the UNC.

The Opposition’s Leader’s conduct has come under focus with her controversial stand-your-ground law proposal and remarks, almost as much as the Prime Minister’s leadership has been scrutinised for his management of crime and, more recently, Integrity Commission filings.

It is for voters to give, through peaceful means, their views on these matters.