Young’s first act as Prime Minister: April 28 snap election

One day after he was sworn in to office, Prime Minister Stuart Young called a snap general election for April 28.

The notice also came 48 hours after the PNM presented its 41 candidates at a lively rally at Woodford Square, Port of Spain, at which Dr Keith Rowley gave his political swansong hours before bowing out as prime minister at midnight on March 16.

Titled, Prime Minister Young Calls General Election, the notice on March 18 from the Office of the Prime Minister said Young had advised President Christine Kangaloo to dissolve Parliament at midnight.

It said the PM, under the Representation of the People Act (section 33), has advised election writs be issued on March 18, to fix April 4 as nomination day and April 28 as polling day.

The sudden announcement of a poll date came on a day where critics sought to question Young’s character by citing Facebook posts and old newspaper clippings alleging he had once bullied a fellow pupil at the prestigious St Mary’s College, Port of Spain.

The announcement also came amid the recent release of two videos detailing Young’s career, one narrated by Young and the other citing sources including his father, retired banker Richard Young. Recent weeks have seen the PNM complete its screenings of all candidates at Balisier House, Port of Spain.

The UNC has held its screenings over a shorter period and has held back from releasing results for many seats such as St Augustine held by incumbent MP Khadijah Ameen and Tabaquite held by incumbent MP Anita Haynes.

Several UNC MPs who had demanded the UNC hold internal elections will not seek re-election, namely Naparima MP Rodney Charles, Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir and Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally.

UNC PRO Dr Kirk Meighoo told Newsday via voice-note, “We completed screening for all seats. Eleven have been announced so far, so the remaining have to be announced.”

While the PNM has been in the limelight via ministerial statements and publicity surrounding its screenings, the UNC has garnered attention by way of itinerant meetings namely the Monday night forum and the pavement report held on Thursdays, plus Sunday briefings by its shadow ministers.

After the election notification, Newsday tried but was unable to get any comment from PNM general secretary Foster Cummings and three other prominent figures in the party.

However, PNM candidate for Claxton Bay (formerly Pointe-a-Pierre) Mukesh Ramsingh, told Newsday, “Since I got the nod from Dr Rowley, which was last year, November, I have been campaigning, and I have been doing my work on the ground and the community for this election.”

He was happy the election is being called sooner rather than later.

“All I can tell you right now is that the PNM is fully united, fully in support of Prime Minister Young and the new cabinet, and we are ready for election. The opposition has been calling for it all the time, and now it’s here, so they have nothing to complain about. Now its time to get down to the work.”

Kamla: Young called election to pre-empt legal challenge

UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar quickly issued a statement to reporters via WhatsApp.

She alleged, “Young hurriedly called the date to pre-empt the UNC legal action that was coming regarding his illegitimate and illegal anointing as Prime Minister.

“Young and the PNM fully well know that his appointment is illegal and unconstitutional.

“His appointment would have been shown to be unconstitutional in the courts and he would then be forced to face a PNM internal election before the general election.”

Claiming Planning Minister Penelope Beckles would have decimated Young in any internal election, Persad-Bissessar hit, “And the PNM financiers-backed coup would have been put down.”

She asked why former prime minister Dr Rowley had not dissolved Parliament.

Persad-Bissessar declared, “The UNC is ready and we will do what PNM MPs failed to do which is to protect our country from being gifted to a selfish select group of Young’s financiers.”

NTA head Gary Griffith said since January his party had predicted this date or thereabouts. “We have not been caught with our pants down. We have not been ambushed.”

He said it was an honour to be on the political battlefield with Young and Persad-Bissessar.

“They are worthy adversaries. I wish them well.”

He hoped the two leaders and he would all act during the campaign so as not create any instability.

Political scientist: Chaos, confusion surrounding PNM

Political scientist Dr Indira Rampersad told Newsday the election date came as “no surprise” to her, and did allow the requisite 35 days notice.

“I expected early elections, (given) the frantic move by Dr Rowley to depart and instal Stuart Young as PM.

“Things are happening very quickly. I could have smelt it.”

Rampersad argued the PNM was surrounded by a lot of confusion and chaos, amid a state of emergency, former PM, new PM and new cabinet, all happening just before a general election.

She wondered how Rowley’s post as PNM leader would factor into the election, whether the PNM won or lost.

“That is a formula for chaos.”

Saying the UNC must get cracking to name its candidates, she said Tunapuna was particularly important, as was the choice of whether Rushton Paray would be re-selected as Mayaro MP.

While Persad-Bissessar had her fair share of critics, Rampersad viewed her as having “weathered the storm,” so as now to provide a level of stability in the UNC.

In contrast, in the PNM she viewed Young as now having to try to “sell himself” and his cabinet to the general public.

Rampersad also alleged the PNM had to do some damage control by moving former finance minister Colm Imbert to become Public Utilities Minister. She alleged he was unpopular and had been demoted in the recent cabinet announcements. Among these was the appointment of veteran public servant Vishnu Dhanpaul as Finance Minister.

Rampersad expected the parties to retain their usual seats, but said attention must be paid to the two Tobago seats. She reckoned that in April month, the election “will be won or lost.”

The 2020 general election saw the PNM get 322,250 votes to win 22 seats, and the UNC earn 309,188 votes to win 19 seats, while the PEP got 5,933 votes.

The 2023 local government election, with just a 30 per cent turnout, saw the PNM get 130,868 votes, behind the UNC tally of 173,961. The PEP retained its votes at 5,930, with its ally the Reunited Farmers Alliance getting 1,041 votes, while the fledgling NTA got an impressive 15,997 votes, earning at least one alderman seat (in Diego Martin Borough Corporation.)

Up to publication time, Newsday saw nothing issued by the Election and Boundaries Commission regarding their readiness for the election.