Rough ride for UNC

THE CURTAIN came down yesterday on a Local Government Elections campaign which has been unprecedented in the political history of Trinidad and Tobago. By the time the final results are known tomorrow night, it could very well see the death of one of the country’s two major political parties and herald the start of a political dynasty for the other. In the wake of the PNM’s  20-16 General Election victory over the UNC last October, speculation was rife about when Local Government Elections, which was constitutionally due in 2002, would be held. While political pundits predicted July 7 as the election date, Prime Minister Patrick Manning calmly entered the Senate on June 3 to announce July 14 as the election date. Party leader Basdeo Panday alleged the October 2002 elections were stolen from the UNC by a combination of PNM voter-padding and thuggery in the marginal constituencies. Over the last month of campaigning, Panday and other UNC MPs have renewed those cries.

The UNC leader has  also declared the Opposition will not support any major pieces of legislation in Parliament (such as the Police Reform Bills) until constitutional reform takes place in TT. Panday has also used the need for constitutional reform to justify the Opposition’s non-support for the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). The Opposition has also attempted to use crime and issues from doctors to sugar workers to show  PNM’s “incompetence” in government. However the UNC still seemed uncertain of its ability to successfully contest all 126 electoral districts and renewed ties with its former political partner, the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR). The UNC is contesting 107 districts while leaving the NAR the remaining 19 areas. The PNM is contesting all 126 electoral districts.