EBC building as democracy symbol

TREVOR SUDAMA

POLITICIANS are constantly called upon to speak at various occasions and on very many subjects. The content of their statements reflects not only on the quality of their briefing but, more so, on their thinking and capacity to make meaningful, enlightening, sensible and realistic observations. Very few seem capable of meeting this challenge.

Recently, outgoing Prime Minister Rowley said that building the new Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) headquarters symbolised a commitment to democracy, thus reducing this commitment to the construction of a physical structure. There is an assumption that more spacious and better outfitted premises will enhance the quality of the work of the EBC in facilitating the conduct of free and fair elections. This is a large assumption.

A commitment to the institution of a functional democracy entails a great deal more than building a structure and holding elections, whether free and fair. Indeed, there is an element of hypocrisy here in that that this luxury was not afforded to the general membership of his party in providing the opportunity for them to elect the political leader to serve as prime minister.

In addition, the ruling PNM government has yet to condemn the rigged outcome of the presidential election in Venezuela last year.

If we broaden the claim of the importance of buildings, one might conclude that the construction of a costly, uniquely designed and architecturally outstanding Hall of Justice significantly contributed to the delivery of justice in TT in an effective, efficient and timely fashion. There is no need to comment on the state and outcome of the judicial process in the country.

Similarly, the spanking, new multi-storey building housing the Ministry of Education's head office may be deemed to symbolise a relevant, functional and progressive education system.

The gleaming structure which is home to the Ministry of Agriculture in central Trinidad could similarly be said to be reflective of a robust, thriving, productive and scientifically-driven agricultural sector.

Reverting to the statement on the EBC, Dr Rowley stated that it is about process and not results. However, if the process is flawed, lacking in transparency and subject to little accountability, would not such a state of affairs render the results unsatisfactory and deficient?

The major issue which has historically dogged the credibility of the EBC is whether the criteria adopted for the delineation of constituency boundaries are fair, rational and just (a less contentious one is the accuracy of the voters’ list).

Dating back to the general election of 1961, serious concerns were expressed about the demarcation of constituency boundaries which were seen to favour the ruling PNM. In fact, Dr Selwyn Ryan in his book, Race and Nationalism in Trinidad and Tobago, p. 245, wrote: “ ...there is no doubt whatsoever in the writer’s mind that the constituencies were gerrymandered.”

Over the years, there is the observation that generally a larger number of electors are assigned to rural constituencies where the major opposition party has greater representation and a smaller number of electors to the urban and semi-urban constituencies where the PNM has a greater presence.

Although a report by the EBC is laid in Parliament on boundary changes, there is no satisfactory explanation for the rationale involved in the subtraction and addition of entire polling divisions between constituencies. Then of course there is the issue of voter-padding. The sentiment expressed by opposition parties is that these changes of constituency boundaries have contributed to the longevity in power of the PNM.

The PNM of course has firmly and resolutely opposed any element of constitutional reform which proposes a system of proportional representation, in which constituencies are eliminated and the whole country is one constituency, with seats allocated in proportion to the number of votes received in the total national poll of votes cast.

If the argument is that the EBC is an independent institution established by the Constitution, whose members are appointed by the President in his/her sole discretion and are deemed to be independent, neutral, non-partisan and fair, it needs to be borne in mind that the President is in effect appointed by the ruling party (being the PNM for about 65 of the last 70 years) and there is the perception of undue influence exerted by the PNM leadership.

There is also the question of the method of appointing senior functionaries of the EBC and oversight over the execution of their responsibilities.

The above concerns, by no means comprehensive, do bring into question decisions of the EBC and the conduct of elections over the years.

It therefore seems to be somewhat propagandistic to assert that the new EBC building will somehow symbolise a commitment to a functional democracy.

TREVOR SUDAMA

San Fernando