Enill, Joseph quit PNM executive

Two top executive members of the opposition People's National Movement (PNM) announced their resignations Monday.

Chairman Conrad Enill and General Secretary Martin Joseph have accepted responsibility for the party's defeat in the May 24 general election and have decided to quit.

Enill made the announcement to reporters following a special meeting of the PNM general council.

He read his resignation letter:

"As you aware, the party was unsuccessful at the May 24 general election and as the chairman and national campaign manager responsible for co-ordinating our efforts to ensure success at the general election, I take responsibility for the results.

"As a consequence, I hereby tender my resignation as chairman of the party effective June 28, 2010."

Enill said the move will allow the PNM to rebrand itself under a new leader and win back the electorate at the July 26 Local Government election.

In an obvious reference to former leader Patrick Manning, Enill said the general election result reflected "a particular feeling" among the population that has now been changed.

"That feeling is no longer there, the party has in fact moved forward and therefore whatever issues there were they are no longer there. How the population is going to respond to that, we will see," he said.

Enill also announced the cancellation of the June 27 special leadership convention and said the party will install Keith Rowley as its new leader at a meeting for delegates only at the Port of Spain City Hall on the same date.

He said the screening of candidates for the local election will begin the next day and will end in time for nomination day on July 5.

Enill told reporters the party the PNM ia ready for the election, saying the PNM agrees with the move to hold the vote and would have called the election now if the party had won the general election.