Gadsby-Dolly denies PNM convention is 'rushed'

PNM chairman Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly. - File photo
PNM chairman Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly. - File photo

PNM chairman Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly says the party's internal elections are taking place in line with its established democratic processes, in a statement on May 20.

Voting is set for June 22 nationwide and the special convention is due on June 29 when the results will be announced.

Her statement came the same day as a newspaper published an article citing former general secretary and former Arima MP/Arima mayor Ashton Ford alleging the election date was rushed. He claimed holding it before September meant the exclusion of some party groups and typified a "top-down manoeuvre" so as to "engineer a predetermined outcome."

Forde said the abstention of 100,000 PNM voters in the recent general election underlined a need to rebuild the party from its grass-roots.

Gadsby-Dolly said the convention date and all preparations for it were all above board.

She did not specify Ford's letter but decried any "misleading narrative" to suggest party groups were being excluded from the upcoming internal election.

"This is not only incorrect, but ignores the established sequence of democratic processes that has already taken place within the party," Gadsby-Dolly said.

"The fact is that constituency elections were held in 2024, leading up to the scheduled PNM Convention of November 2024. All 41 constituencies held their party group elections, constituency annual general meetings and constituency conferences in 2024 as mandated." The November 2024 convention was cancelled until the General Council had set a future date, she said.

"The General Council has now taken the decision that elections for all National Executive positions will be held on June 22, via the one man, one vote system, and a special convention will be held on June 29. All PNM members, including party group members, will have the opportunity to vote in the internal elections on June 22, via the one man, one vote system, so the allegation that party groups are being left out of the internal election process is clearly without merit."

Gadsby-Dolly said at the PNM's special convention on June 29, all 41 constituencies will be represented by the duly elected delegates from the 2024 constituency conferences.

"To reiterate: the June 2025 Special Convention falls within the 2024/25 period, and as such, the constituency groundwork – including party group elections – has already been completed.

"To suggest that party groups have been left out of the internal elections process leading up to the PNM special convention of June 2025 is inaccurate and deliberately misleading, as those fundamental organs of the party concluded their democratic processes less than a year ago, and every one of their members has the right to vote in the PNM's internal elections."

She lamented "persistent attempts" to cast doubt on the PNM's internal election processes. "However, the PNM will continue to operate with the highest democratic principles as it focuses on the tasks at hand: strengthening the connection between the party and its supporters, and holding the government of the day to account."

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