UNC commess creature of Constitution

THE GOVERNMENT’S constitutional-reform exercise and the UNC’s ever-widening internal commess might appear to be unrelated. But there’s a connection.

It is because there are no fixed dates for general elections under our Constitution that Kamla Persad-Bissessar has been able to justify delays in holding internal party polls, citing the possibility that the Prime Minister might call a snap election.

The Opposition Leader’s position has provided a convenient excuse for people in her party to challenge her.

By now, it is clear Rushton Paray is not alone; at least five voices want internals, with the latest in the chorus being Dinesh Rambally, who has made little effort to disguise the fact that the internal election issue is not about party procedure, but, rather, personalities.

Mr Paray and Mr Rambally did not break the party line in Parliament last Friday. But it is telling that both MPs, who represent Mayaro and Chaguanas West respectively, missed two of the three votes that day, which all involved the operationalisation of the Revenue Authority – a key campaign issue for the UNC.

Also late to the chamber for voting, or absent entirely, were other “dissidents” who agree with the call for internal elections, like Rodney Charles, the outgoing Naparima MP. At one stage, the Opposition’s numbers were reduced to just 14 out of 19.

Mr Paray this week said the five MPs will not break the party line in the House, but that promise reads more like a threat.

Some have already held media events on sitting days, missed votes and committees, and held their own meetings during UNC events, such as occurred on Monday when Mr Paray and company gathered at the San Fernando Yacht Club while Ms Persad-Bissessar was elsewhere addressing party faithful.

If we had fixed elections, none of this might be happening. It would be easier for parties to organise themselves and sort out their issues ahead of time.

In the US, for example, the major parties have conventions months before the election to select or endorse a leader. While this takes place close to the finishing line, this is possible because everybody knows years in advance when an election is.

Similarly, in the UK, there is a system of annual conventions, though fixed dates were recently repealed by the present, deeply unpopular government there.

Ironically, though Ms Persad-Bissessar believes Dr Rowley might pull the election date out of his back pocket any minute now, in fact, it is in his party’s interest to stay put as long as possible. The longer the UNC commess lasts, the better for the PNM.

With most of the dissidents being elected MPs, dissolving Parliament would be a gift to the UNC leader.