Jack complains about irregularities in naming UNC election officials

Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner sent a letter Sunday to the chairman of the Internal Elections Committee of the United National Congress (UNC) about what he considers to be unfair administrative changes for the January 24, 2010 UNC election.

Warner is contesting the election for the post of Chairman. There are three leadership candidates: the incumbent, Basdeo Panday, Tabaquite MP Ramesh L. Maharaj and Sipraia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

In his letter to Kemchan Ramdath, Warner pointed out changes to the assignment of election supervisors, noting that his recommendations for personnel for his own constituency have been arbitrarily amended.

"I understand that Mr. Rishi Budhram has been appointed Elections Supervisor for Caroni East and no one can tell us where Mr. Brian Kangal will serve or if his nomination was not accepted the reason for non-acceptance despite several requests made by the Constituency Secretary," Warner wrote.

Warner had recommended both Budhram and Kangal to serve in Chaguanas West.

But the elections committee told Warner "that in order to maintain transparency and fairness", the recommended persons for five constituencies are being shifted around to constituencies other than to those which they belong.

Warner also pointed out that that Panday supporters Rudy Indarsingh and Rasheed Karim have been appointed Election Supervisors for the constituencies of Chaguanas West and Caroni Central respectively.

Warner is asking Ramdath to clarify a number of including:

• What became of Kangal’s recommendation
• Who recommended Indarsingh and Karim
• Why only five constituencies have been selected for changes
• What criteria were used to determine the changes
• Whether a request was made of persons other than MPs, Shadow MPs and Regional Representatives to submit recommendations for Election Supervisors
• Why was a Chaguanas West constituent not recommend by the MP selected and appointed to the position of Election Supervisor instead of the recommended candidate

Warner pointed out that the election cannot be perceived as free and "and free from fear" if some constituencies are subject to certain policies and others are not.

"There are questions hanging over the independence of your committee and in order to restore its integrity, I am asking that you review the list of Elections Supervisors to ensure that only persons recommended by the sitting Member of Parliament, Shadow MP or Regional Representative from the respective constituencies are accepted and placed on the list of Election Supervisors," he said.