Respectful call for elections by Paray

THE EDITOR: I read your news report of Mayaro MP Rushton Paray calling for internal executive elections in his party, UNC, when due – by June. And it triggered scathing attacks on the quiet gentleman who has been one of the better MPs in TT.

I read the responses (attacks) from some of his party colleagues assailing him and querying how dare he demand internal elections, as though he committed some major crime.

In a democracy and in a party that subscribes to democratic norms, free speech is, or ought to be, welcome. There emerged a beehive lining up to praise the leader and attack Paray, as though it is necessary to display loyalty to the boss. It was a disproportionate response. The party leader or a spokesperson could easily have disarmed Paray and his supporters by simply stating internal elections will be held when due.

Paray did not say anything that can be interpreted as anti-party or anti-leader. I listened to parts of his address calling for internal elections and I read the press reports. I did not come across any attack on the party’s leader or colleagues.

He was very respectful in outlining the reasons behind his call for internal executive elections. There was simply a calm call for holding the elections when due.

In all fairness to Kamla Persad-Bissessar, as leader she never postponed or delayed an election – whether party or national as PM. She and Panday as prime ministers did not postpone a constitutionally due election. Manning postponed local elections.

Keith Rowley held elections when they were due, except in 2022. That was a political error. He may well have made gains or held support rather than experienced losses of seats, as happened in 2023.

The UNC leader did not say internal elections will be postponed although there was an announcement that the party has been on a general election footing. This could be taken as a hint to delay party elections.

Rowley will not call an early election, which is due by November 2025. He does not face an electoral threat, not now and not in 2025.

He will go his full term as there are several projects he would like to complete, present a nice election budget in October, and complete allowable measures to capture three or possibly four marginals held by the UNC.

With Paray’s public call for internal UNC elections, Persad-Bissessar would be hard put now to announce a date for them by June.

The result of internal elections would not be hard to predict. Whichever side or candidates control the election machinery wins.

I recall in the last internal I saw a photo of a candidate fetching ballot boxes from his vehicle at the place of counting several hours after voting closed. He won by a landslide. Need more be said on predicting the outcome?

DR VISHNU BISRAM

via e-mail