Kamla: Racial turmoil in PNM

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar claims there is internal racial turmoil in the PNM which could have serious implications for whether or not the next general election will be free and fair.

Against these claims, Persad-Bissessar has repeated the UNC's call for international observers for the election, which is constitutionally due by next August.

In a statement issued on November 4, Persad-Bissessar claimed there was a rift in the PNM over whether party chairman Stuart Young or general secretary Foster Cummings should succeed the Prime Minister as political leader.

During last month's budget debate in the House of Representatives, Dr Rowley hinted the debate could be his last one.

Rowley first hinted at political retirement after the PNM won the August 2020 election.

Persad-Bissessar said, "The PNM is at an all-time low if these two are the leading contenders for leadership."

She repeated claims about Young recusing himself from cabinet meetings and being a failure as a government minister.

"He is immature, classless and rude."

She said Young's ethnicity lay at the core of alleged internal PNM problems.

"The fiasco occurring in the PNM regarding its leadership is mainly driven due to Stuart Young’s ethnicity. We saw it when Kamaludin Mohammed was bypassed (in 1981), we saw it when (Finance Minister Colm) Imbert was bypassed and now we see it with Stuart (Young)."

She said Cummings, former PNM vice-chairman Robert Le Hunte and others should not deny this is happening.

Persad-Bissessar repeated claims about Cummings being involved in alleged land grabbing.

She claimed the PNM had a history of airing its dirty linen in public.

Rowley, she continued, did this when he unsuccessfully challenged former prime minister Patrick Manning for the PNM's leadership in the 2008-2010 period.

Persad-Bissessar said she was informed by unnamed people there were allegations that Cummings, who is Youth Development and National Service Minister, has been using the resources of his ministry to mobilise youth support for the PNM and weaponised this support against Rowley and Young.

She claimed people loyal to Cummings were supporting attorney Kareem Marcelle to contest the Laventille West constituency instead of incumbent MP Fitzgerald Hinds.

In a statement issued on November 3, Marcelle said his nomination was no disrespect to Hinds.

Persad-Bissessar added, "Persons supportive of Foster have reached out to the UNC in attempts to gain assistance to go after Young."

She said the UNC rejected these overtures because it was preparing for the election and vetting its "comprehensive nomination forms."

Inconsistencies on the forms, Persad-Bissessar continued, are cleared up when nominees are interviewed by the screening committee.

"Following this, nominations may be reopened for any seats not filled. Natex can also reopen nominations if needed

She repeated the call the UNC made in September for independent election observers.

"If Rowley and the PNM cannot have a proper internal election process without interference, how can we trust them to not interfere in the 2025 general elections?"

Persad-Bisssesar again claimed there were PNM operatives inside of the EBC.

"Why is Rowley so hell-bent against election observers?"

In September, Rowley said any decision to invite foreign election observers will be taken at the appropriate time.

Under the law, the latest time to hold the election is next November.

A daily newspaper reported on November 3 that Rowley rejected claims made about Young being favoured to succeed him as PNM political leader and this was the reason why the party's convention and internal election, scheduled for November 17 had been cancelled.

Rowley said he had no power to anoint anyone as PNM leader and still had to make a decision about his political future.

In a statement on October 11, Cummings said the party's annual convention and internal election scheduled for November 17 had been cancelled.

On October 18, after the general council meeting at Balisier House in Port of Spain, Cummings said the party's constitution grants t Dr Rowley as political leader, the authority over the party's political direction and the general council ratified the leadership's decision to set a new date for the convention.

He said the council approved the decision, adding, "We await further updates on the matter."

Young, on the same day, said the posts of political leader, chairman and general secretary are not due for re-election until 2026.

On the cancellation of the convention, Young said, "The PNM is strategic and does not make decisions impulsively. The council trusted the leadership's decision and I won’t disclose specific PNM strategies."

In an interview on October 21, PNM lady vice-chairman Camille Robinson-Regis said claims about the party being in turmoil because of these events were greatly exaggerated.

"It’s important to clarify that the decision to postpone the convention was made by the leadership of the party, with the best interests of the party and its members in mind. It was a strategic decision. The leadership remains committed to ensuring that the tenets of democracy which is fundamental to the effective functioning of our great party are adhered to."