NACTA: Rowley's resignation boosts PNM

THE Prime Minister's decision to retire from electoral politics has boosted the PNM's political stocks ahead of this year's general election, while dissatisfaction is seeping throughout the ranks of the Opposition UNC about its selection of candidates.

These were some of the findings of a North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) survey released on January 21.

Last month, Dr Rowley confirmed he will resign as prime minister and not contest the Diego Martin West constituency, which he has represented since 1991. The PNM's parliamentary caucus chose Port of Spain North/St Ann's West MP Stuart Young to succeed Rowley as prime minister.

After a PNM general council meeting in Port of Spain on January 11, party general secretary Foster Cummings said 20 PNM MPs had pledged their support to Young as prime minister.

The party is scheduled to hold a convention on September 28 to decide who will succeed Rowley as PNM political leader. Rowley has held that post since 2010.

NACTA said, "Overall, the PNM has found itself very unpopular until the announced resignation of Keith Rowley as PM a month ago."

Voters, NACTA said, have largely approved of the remaking and remodelling of the PNM.

While there is a silent disquiet among some PNM supporters over Young's selection, NACTA said, "The PNM has been praised by supporters of both major parties and floating voters for the way it has handled dissident and challengers, allowing them space to voice their views and pursuing executive positions and even running to succeed Rowley."

NACTA added its survey found voters praised the PNM for the ability of its members to "express their views without repercussions or fallout with the leader and their supporters."

The survey also showed Young had an overall positive response from the public with solid support coming from younger voters, nonaligned voters and the business community.

Young also attracts the interest of young East Indians and other floating voters, who have said they will give him a chance unless they see some improvement in the quality of candidates being chosen by the UNC.

NACTA said the change initiated by Rowley's impending departure could shake up local politics and realign voting to patterns which have not been seen since the 1950s.

The PNM and UNC have selected 33 and eight candidates respectively to date.

NACTA said the majority of voters are satisfied with the PNM candidates.

While some people may have preferred to see Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne contest Diego Martin West, NACTA said there is no evidence to suggest the PNM will lose this stronghold seat.

Voters, NACTA continued, see candidate selection as key to whoever will win.

This challenge appears to be more pressing on the UNC's side in picking "credible, prominent, popular, likable, respected faces with good reputation not only in the marginals but in ‘safe’ seats as well, especially those adjoining the key battleground seats."

NACTA said most UNC supporters do not want to see most of the incumbent opposition MPs stand for re-election.

"Credible candidates of integrity, particularly in safe seats, will boost the electoral prospect of all others."

NACTA said UNC supporters were concerned about the wrong candidates being chosen to contest the marginal seats.

"Currently, UNC could lose three marginals — Toco/Sangre, Chaguanas East and Barataria/San Juan."

Toco/Sangre Grande is currently represented by PNM MP Roger Monroe, who is standing for re-election. Attorney Wayne Sturge is the UNC's Toco/Sangre Grande candidate.

Incumbent UNC MPs Saddam Hosein (Barataria/San Juan) and Vandana Mohit (Chaguanas East) are standing for re-election.

NACTA said, "Pointe-a-Pierre is also under threat of falling. Selection of candidates in adjoining seats to these four and other marginals will determine their fate as well as the outcome of the elections."

Pointe-a-Pierre and Chaguanas East are respectively bordered by Tabaquite and Chaguanas West.

The latter's incumbent MPs, Anita Haynes-Alleyne and Dinesh Rambally, are among a group of five UNC MPs who have publicly questioned party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's ability to lead the UNC to victory.

The others are Dr Rai Ragbir (Cumuto/Manzanilla), Rushton Paray (Mayaro) and Rodney Charles (Naparima).

Charles is not standing for re-election. There has been speculation that Paray, Haynes-Alleyne, Rambally and Ragbir, who have filed nominations, will not be selected as UNC candidates for their constituencies.

Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Vasant Bharath, Mickela Panday, Jayanti Lutchmedial-Ramdial, Kevin Ramnarine and Gary Griffith are some of those voters would like to see in the UNC line-up.

Lutchmedial-Ramdial is nominated for Naparima.

Panday and Griffith are the political leaders of the Patriotic Front (PF) and National Transformation Alliance (NTA) respectively.

Griffith and Persad-Bissessar fell out publicly last February after Persad-Bissessar accused the NTA of piggybacking on the UNC and bringing no value to the alliance the parties had for the August 2023 local government elections. The rift between them has widened, with Persad-Bissessar publicly criticising Griffith's performance as commissioner of police from 2018-2021.

Griffith was national security adviser to Persad-Bissessar and national security minister during the 2010-2015 tenure of the now defunct UNC-led People's Partnership coalition

The NTA is currently pursuing an election alliance with COP and HOPE.

NACTA said, "Overall, the PNM has found itself very unpopular until the announced resignation of Keith Rowley as PM a month ago."

Voters, NACTA said, have largely approved of the remaking and remodelling of the PNM.

The survey also showed Stuart Young has a overall positive response from the public, with solid support coming from younger voters, nonaligned voters and the business community.

Young also attracts the interest of young East Indians and other floating voters who have said they will give him a chance unless they see some improvement in the quality of candidates being chosen by the UNC.

NACTA said the change initiated by Rowley's impending departure could shake up local politics and realign voting to patterns which have not been seen since the 1950s.

The PNM and UNC have selected 33 and eight candidates respectively to date.

NACTA said the majority of voters are satisfied with the PNM candidates chosen.

While some people may have preferred to see Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne contest Diego Martin West, NACTA said there is no evidence to suggest the PNM will lose this stronghold seat in the election.

Voters, NACTA continued, see candidate selection as key to whoever will win the election.

This challenge appears to be more pressing on the UNC's side in picking "credible, prominent, popular, likable, respected faces with good reputation not only in the marginals but in ‘safe’ seats as well, especially those adjoining the key battleground seats."

NACTA said most UNC supporters do not want to see most of the incumbent opposition MPs stand for re-election.

"Credible candidates of integrity, particularly in safe seats, will boost the electoral prospect of all others."

NACTA said UNC supporters are concerned about the wrong candidates being chosen to contest the marginal seats.

"Currently, UNC could lose three marginals — Toco/Sangre, Chaguanas East, and Barataria/San Juan."

Toco/Sangre Grande is currently represented by PNM MP Roger Monroe, who is standing for re-election.

Attorney Wayne Sturge is the UNC's Toco/Sangre Grande candidate.

Incumbent UNC MPs Saddam Hosein (Barataria/San Juan) and Vandana Mohit (Chaguanas East) are standing for re-election.

NACTA said, "Pointe-a-Pierre is also under threat of falling. Selection of candidates in adjoining seats to these four and other marginals will determine their fate as well as the outcome of the elections."

Pointe-a-Pierre and Chaguanas East are respectively bordered by Tabaquite and Chaguanas West.

The latter's incumbent MPs, Anita Haynes-Alleyne and Dinesh Rambally, are among a group of five UNC MPs who have publicly questioned party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's ability to lead the UNC to victory in the election.

The others are Dr Rai Ragbir (Cumuto/Manzanilla), Rushton Paray (Mayaro) and Rodney Charles (Naparima).

Charles is not standing for re-election. There has been speculation that Paray, Haynes-Alleyne, Rambally and Ragbir, who have filed nominations, will not be selected as UNC candidates for their constituencies.

Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Vasant Bharath, Mickela Panday, Jayanti Ramdial, Kevin Ramnarine and Gary Griffith are some of the people voters would like to see in the UNC line up.

Ramdial is nominated for Naparima.

Panday and Griffith are the political leaders of the Patriotic Front (PF) and National Transformation Alliance (NTA) respectively.

Griffith and Persad-Bissessar fell out publicly last February after Persad-Bissessar accused the NTA of piggybacking on the UNC and bringing no value to the alliance the parties had for the August 2023 local government elections.

The rift between them has widened with Persad-Bissessar publicly criticising Griffith's performance as commissioner of police from 2018-2021.

Griffith was national security adviser to Persad-Bissessar and national security minister during the 2010-2015 tenure of the now defunct UNC-led People's Partnership coalition

The NTA is currently pursuing an election alliance with COP and HOPE.