PNM queries St Joseph in-fighting

THE decision of the PNM General Council to suspend the St Joseph constituency executive and send in an investigative team was hailed as a welcomed move by party officials and insiders. All sources agreed on one thing — there is confusion in the St Joseph constituency as two opposing factions are reportedly fighting against each other. One of the factions supports shadow MP Sharon Gopaul McNichols, who does not hold a position in the party’s executive but who, sources claimed, was pulling one half of the people with her, leaving the other half fighting against her. Gopaul McNichols was the candidate in that constituency in the last two general elections and was defeated by UNC candidate Gerald Yetming, but she is considered by the party as “the honorary MP for the area.” 

She is said to be  nursing the constituency in the hopes of being permitted to run again in the next General Election. Howard Chin Lee is coordinator of the constituency. “The frightening thing is that the constituency is split virtually half and half,” a source said, adding that the party couldn’t hope to win this seat under these kinds of conditions. Other sources said the situation was so bad that poison pen letters and posters have been circulating in the constituency. Gopaul McNichols told Newsday she was in “full agreement” with the decision of the PNM General Council, which could only result in the betterment of the constituency and the party.

On reports that she was at the centre of the problem in the constituency, she said: “I have every confidence that different views don’t have to mean a crippling kind of disunity. There can be consensus on any issue if people care enough and want to work in the best interest of the party.” She added that in this diverse society the best way forward was when people agreed to disagree. This is not the first time there has been difficulty in  the St Joseph constituency. The last time internal bickering occurred was while St Elmo Gopaul, Gopaul McNichol’s father, was chairman during the 1986-1991 period. At that time, the constituency executive was suspended after a decision was taken to send Dr Keith Rowley to investigate the problems in the constituency.

On this occasion, the PNM sent an investigative team comprising of former Mayor Telly Paul, Lennox Rattansingh and Brenda McCree Hunt to examine what was happening and to make recommendations. This team has been mandated to report by Monday April 6. Sources said that given the changes in the boundaries contained in the EBC report, the St Joseph constituency is considered “very winnable” for the PNM. But they noted that the PNM St Joseph constituency was not able to complete its constituency elections, which were to be done in time for the party’s convention last November. Only the elections for two posts were completed.