NTA leader: Alliance talks ongoing for general election

NATIONAL Transformation Alliance (NTA) political leader Gary Griffith says talks between the National Transformation Alliance, Congress of the People (COP) and HOPE (Honesty Opportunity Performance Empowerment) regarding an alliance for next year's general election are ongoing.

However, there remains no response from the Opposition UNC as to whether or not it is interested in an alliance.

Griffith said the NTA is not begging any political party to form an alliance with it. In a WhatsApp comment sent to Newsday on October 24, Griffith said, "We continue to have discussions."

He added that parties which share principles and ideologies similar to the NTA would be welcome to have conversations. Griffith said, "If a strategic alliance can take place before an election, so be it." He repeated this can only happen with communication and dialogue.

Griffith said while official correspondence was sent to the UNC several months ago. "There has been absolutely no response from the political leader (Kamla Persad-Bissessar) or the chairman of the party (Davendranath Tancoo).

Griffith said, "It is not that we are begging or concerned."

He recalled the NTA had an alliance with the UNC for last August's local government elections. Those elections ended in a 7-7 tie between the PNM and UNC. While the NTA did not win any districts in those elections, it was able to get an alderman appointed to the Diego Martin Borough Corporation.

Griffith said the NTA is unfazed if other political parties do not want to talk to it or form any kind of alliance.

"That is their right. They are political parties."

He repeated that if political parties want to have dialogue with the NTA "the door is always open for us to have such dialogue."

In February, Griffith and Persad-Bissessar fell out over statements she made at a UNC public meeting about other parties taking advantage of the UNC's resources but contributing nothing in return.

The rift widened on August 26, when Persad-Bissessar said Griffith was a failure as commissioner of police from 2018-2021.

In a statement on August 28 in defence of Griffith, the NTA said while it remains open to forming strategic alliances with other political parties, it will not "tolerate political leaders who openly attack us on a platform and then expect us to remain silent."

The NTA has selected Griffith as its St Joseph candidate in the election.

The constituency has been represented by PNM MP Terrence Deyalsingh since November 4, 2013. Griffith has publicly said the NTA will not enter into an alliance with the UNC that sees it only contesting PNM stronghold constituencies while UNC contests key marginal seats and its traditional seats.

In the absence of an alliance with the UNC, Griffith said the NTA will direct its resources towards winning marginal constituencies that the PNM and UNC must win to form the next government.

The NTA has selected caretakers for Barataria/San Juan, Port of Spain South, Lopinot/ Bon Air West, Point Fortin, Diego Martin Central and Chaguanas East.

Griffith said these people could become candidates for these constituencies

The COP has selected caretakers for La Horquetta/Talparo, San Fernando West, and Laventille West and Diego Martin Central.

COP interim leader Kirt Sinnette has also said these people could become candidates for these constituencies.

In September, HOPE began screening nominees for Diego Martin North/East, Diego Martin Central, Diego Martin West, Laventille West, Port of Spain South, Tunapuna, Cumuto/Manzanilla, Fyzabad, Mayaro, Naparima, Moruga/Tableland, Toco/Sangre and Tabaquite.