LGE postponement gives UNC opportunity to hold internal election

Patrick Manning's decision to delay Local Government Elections for another year is having an effect on the internal politics of the United National Congress (UNC).

The party plans to discuss the new development at its caucus on Wednesday with particular reference to whether it should take the opportunity to hold its internal election ahead of the 2010 vote.

UNC vice-chairman Vasant Bharath told the Express Sunday, "It may be very well that we will have internal elections sooner rather than later. I don't think we would wait another year, but that is for the executive to decide."

But Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh said he believes the party should keep its focus on either a local or general election and not waste its energy on internal elections.

The party's internal election has been the major bone of contention between the national executive and Deputy Leader Jack Warner and has led to Warner's Platform for Change, which calls for a shakeup in the way the party is organized and operates in order to prepare itself to win an election.

Warner has been called a "neemakharam" for challenging the executive to hold the vote. The position of UNC leader Basdeo Panday is that the executive decision stands and that only the executive can determine if it would change that position.

Bharath also suggested something sinister in the decision to delay the local election by a year, saying it would allow "outside factors to further disintegrate the UNC", a clear reference to the so-called RAMJACK faction.

But Warner's colleague, Tabaquite MP Ramesh L. Maharaj shot down that argument. "Our political prophecies have come true in that we contended that the policy to link internal elections in the party with the holding of the Local Government elections would give Mr Manning the control over the internal election process in the UNC," Maharaj told the Express.

"All this time the UNC could have held the election and put its house in order and that time has been wasted...I hope that the executive would learn by what has happened and there will be a change of heart and the party would put its house in order."

Maharaj reiterated a point he made earlier in the year that Manning's plan is to call a general election in 2010 to seek the majority he needs to make the constitutional changes he wants without any support from opposition.

But UNC Leader Basdeo Panday disagrees. He told Newsday, “I do not think Manning will call a General Election before it is due. The PNM is afraid to face any poll because they know they are unpopular. This is why they are not holding local elections. They would be equally afraid maybe more so for general elections."

Maharaj said Manning would like to make changes that include a new constitution that would give Manning control over the judiciary and also abolish appeals to the Privy Council.

The former attorney general suggested that the UNC executive should get itself election ready. He promised that he and Warner would continue their efforts to mobilise the members of all opposition political parties.

He said a mass meeting of UNC members would be called this year to elect a new interim UNC executive, whether Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday supported it or not.

Warner called on Panday Sunday to indicate what the next step was. "As far as we are concerned, our mission is still the same: we want party elections now. How can Mr Panday argue against Mr Manning tomorrow when Mr Panday does not advocate for elections in his own party?" asked Warner.

Mayaro MP Winston Peters had his own theory about the political situation. He told the paper both Panday and Manning have something in common: "Mr Panday is afraid to call the party's internal elections and Mr Manning is afraid to call the Local Government elections. I am wondering if there's a synergy between the two of them?"