Independent Senators tell Manning hold LGE now

Prime Minister Patrick Manning appealed to the Senate Wednesday to pass the government's proposed legislation to postpone Local Government Elections (LGE) for another year.

He argued that the delay is needed to allow the government to complete reforms needed to improve the local government system and that process cannot be completed immediately.

He said the main reason for the extension is to have enough time to determine the role of local government representatives. He explained further that there is a need to adjust and approve electoral boundaries before an election.

Manning dismissed charges of being afraid to face the electorate, noting that the two main political parties in the country are no threat to his People's National Movement (PNM).

He also said he does not want to have an election before November’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port-of-Spain when there would be "so many international guests in Port of Spain".

Manning dismissed suggestions that postponing the vote for a fourth consecutive year is an attempt to subvert the country’s democracy.

“We’re not doing that, Mr President, because if we postpone the elections, we are doing it with the approval of this Parliament...If we sought to do it without the Parliament, that would have been a different story", Manning told the Senate.

“We have exposed ourselves to public scrutiny and public debate. And we do it again in this Senate, giving members opposite and Independent senators their chance to say what they feel and what is on their minds.”

But some Independent members were not impressed and made it clear that they would not support the measure.

Dana Seetahal led the charge declaring that by not supporting the bill she is protecting the government from itself.

“If I were to vote in favour of it," she said, "I’d be condoning the thinking that you cannot have this change without postponing the elections.”

Seetahal said, “Elections are due now and they should be held—and they must be held—before October of this year...There is no reason for that election not to be called.”

Other Senators made the same point. While they agreed on the need for reforms, they demanded that the election be held now, noting that it's not necessary to implement reforms ahead of the election.

Opposition Senator Faizal Rahman raised an issue that opposition leader Basdeo Panday raised during debate in the House of Representatives. He asked if the postponement of the vote the start of a new trend that would see a postponement of general election.