PNM gearing up for general elections

NATIONAL SECURITY Minis-ter and General Secretary of the People’s National Movement (PNM) Martin Joseph, has been elected to head a new committee established by the party’s  General Council, to ensure that the party is prepared to deal with an increase in the number of seats to be contested in the 2007 General Elections. The committee, comprising of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs Minister Joan Yuille-Williams, Linus Rogers, Overand Padmore and Ambassador Plenipotentiary Jerry Narace, has been mandated to put the party’s infrastructures in place to deal with the alignment of new constituencies, as part of its continued preparations for the next General elections.

This was just one of the issues addressed at the PNM’s General Council meeting held at Balisier House yesterday. The meeting got off to a late start due to a bomb scare in the building. Reporters were informed that at the time of the bomb scare, Prime Minister and Party Leader Patrick Manning was not in the building. Addressing the press briefing, following the General Council meeting at Balisier House yesterday, Works Minister Franklin Khan said that the party would be taking a “very scientific approach to the next election,” explaining that the party already knew where all the gaps, weaknesses and strengths were located, and has already conducted an analysis of all the new boundaries. He also explained that special meetings were being held with all party affiliates and supporters in areas where there is currently no Member of Parliament. He said that outside of that he would not be saying much since “strategy is not strategy if it is known.”

Khan also indicated that several other committees were established to look into other matters including a split in the PNM St Joseph constituency executive, elections for a new Local Government Councillor for the San Francique area, following the December 15, death of PNM Councillor Harrypersad Ramkissoon. A committee was also established to oversee the hosting of the party’s gala 50th anniversary celebrations, which come off next year and are expected to be year-round. With respect to the split in the St Joseph executive, Khan said that the committee comprising Ethelbert Paul, Lennox Rattansingh and Brenda McCree-Hunt, is expected to investigate the matter and report its findings to the General Council. He explained that the split was a result of two independent slates seeking control of the constituency’s executive, and considering that St Joseph is a marginal seat, the council thought it was necessary to suspend the executive pending the investigation and the filing of a report on the matter, to the Council.

On the issue of transportation between the two islands for the Easter weekend, Khan explained that the air bridge has not been getting much use since the two new inter-island ferries have been added to the existing fleet. He said considering that the sailing of The Cat would be increased to two runs per day, in addition to the Sonia and Beauport, “everything should be okay for the Easter.” He said information coming from the Port Authority has indicated that a wider number of people from various strata of society, were now travelling on the inter-island ferry, noting that they would not be able to “satisfy the entire population, but would do so for a major part of it.”  Also in attendance at the press briefing was the party’s Vice Chairman Rose Janiere.