ITEC writes IC on PNM advertising

The Indo Trinbago Equality Council (ITEC) has written the Integrity Commission (IC) seeking the commission’s intervention in what ITEC says is an abuse of state resources for election campaigning in the public media.

ITEC says this is a violation of the Integrity in Public Life Act.

In a letter to the IC signed by ITEC Chairman Devant Maharaj, the organization has pointed out the PNM State stated clearly that it began preparing for the General Election since October 2009.

It added, “Just prior to the announcement of the General Election date and the dissolution of the Parliament the State and its agencies began an intense advertising campaign.

“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,” Maharaj said.

He noted that in a growing democracy “the time has now come for such abuses of the Representation of the Peoples Act to be stopped and stopped immediately”.

Maharaj said, “The PNM State advertisements place the Opposition in a position of disadvantage, and is inimical to our democracy in a free and fair elections. 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.”

Maharaj urged the commission to act with urgency in dealing with the matter, noting that there is a clear distinction between the party and the Government.