MSJ staying out of THA election, will contest LGE next year

David Abdulah and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj at Sunday's MSJ congress

David Abdulah said on Sunday the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) will take part in next year's local government elections.

The MSJ leader made the announcement at its first annual party congress at the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU), Palms Club in San Fernando.

Abdulah said, "We in this party must from today begin to prepare ourselves for local government elections in 2013. 

"We are not now going to say how many seats we are going to contest, but we in our communities in our regions and our districts must begin to discuss who are the persons, MSJ persons or maybe not even an MSJ person; just a good community person who can best represent those communities at the level of local government and therefore begin to create at the level of local government the future from now. 

"Put forward your names. We need to strategise on where we will concentrate our resources in that local government campaign."

While the MSJ is moving into electoral political in Trinidad it will sit out then January 21 Tobago House of Assembly Election. "The MSJ is not going to go to Tobago to tell Tobagonians what to do and what they ought not to do," Abdullah told reporters. 

"We have confidence in Tobagonian sisters and brothers to decide what is best for Tobago. As MSJ and as a party we are not going to be playing any explicit role in the elections of the THA in January. 

"That is not to say we would not be engaging in conversation and dialogue with patriotic Tobagonians about the way forward for Tobago. Rest assured, after January elections of the THA, the issue of Tobago will remain unresolved," he added.

Abdulah invited "disenchanted supporters" of other parties to join the MSJ because he said it was a party with a difference committed to social justice for all.