Indo organization objects to use of state machinery for political ads

The Indo Trinbago Equality Council (ITEC) wrote to the chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) Wednesday pointing out what it believes is improper political advertising in the campaign for the May 24 general election.

ITEC Chairman Devant Maharaj told the EBC, "the apparent campaigning by the Peoples National Movement (PNM) controlled State machinery in the public media...is in violation of the spirit of Representation of the Peoples Act."

He asked the EBC take "immediate and appropriate steps" to deal with the matter.

Maharaj told the EBC, "This onslaught of government inspired and paid for advertisements highlighted the successes of the Government social programs such as HYPE, MUST, CEPEP, Smart Card, Vision 2020 etc.

"In patronage democracies such as Trinidad & Tobago the PNM controlled State is using the guise of government advertising to de facto promote the PNM Party."

The ITEC chief said the advertisements places the opposition at a disadvantage and is therefore "inimical to our democracy in a free and fair elections."

He said the imbalance is made worse because "the Opposition not only has to respond to the PNM Party Advertising but it also has to compete and respond to the PNM State advertisements and machinery."