UNC grab control of Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation

FOR the second consecutive Local Government Elections, the United National Congress (UNC) benefited from the luck of the draw, when the Opposition party grabbed control of the tied Rio Claro/Mayaro Regional Corporation following the drawing of lots, at the Corporation’s Rio Claro chambers yesterday.

At the 1999 Local Government Elections, the Siparia Regional Corporation which after voting was deadlocked at four seats each for the UNC and PNM, went into the UNC’s control after the drawing of Lots. However, unlike the 1999 drawing, there was no ‘bacchanal, as both parties accepted the result, with Ortoire/Mayaro MP Franklyn Khan, observing that yesterday’s draw was both “free and fair.”

At the 1999 drawing of lots to decide the tied Siparia Regional Corporation, fingers were pointed and voices raised after the CEO of that Corporation was given a deciding vote during the process.Yesterday’s drawing of lots at Rio Claro, which was drafted by the Ministry of Local Government, was supervised by the Local Government Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Terrance Jurawan and Legal Advisor, Carlton A George. The process was chaired by the Corporation’s CEO, Motilal Ramsingh. The procedure included the swearing-in of successful councillors from both PNM and UNC, followed by nominations for two aldermen by both the PNM and UNC councillors. After voting for aldermen by the councillors, was predictably tied at 3-3, the nominees’ names (four in all), were placed in a bowl and two members of the public gallery were invited to pull the winning names. Both UNC alderman nominees — Grace Ramsajan and Ramlochan Panchoo — were successful at the draw, which now saw the Opposition party assuming control of the Corporation, commanding five seats on the eight-member executive committee.

Speaking to reporters after the draw, Local Government Minister Jarrette Narine, expressed satisfaction at the “democracy, fairness and transparency” of the exercise. “I think that everything worked out well this morning,” Narine said, adding that the law governing an electoral tie had been allowed to take place, “fair and free from interference by any political people.” Narine said, “although it did not go my way or my party’s way, the PNM is always a fair party and our Ministers are persons of dignified calibre.” And in response to a reporter’s question on the type of bowl used in the draw, Narine said the CEO had used “what was at hand,” and was in full accordance to the law. Narine also expressed the hope that the victorious UNC aldermen, together with the councillors, would “be fair and equitable in their treatment of areas not under their immediate control.” In full agreement was Ortoire/Mayaro MP, Franklyn Khan, who said that the process was “fair, free and according to the law.” Khan, whose constituency encompasses the Regional Corporation’s area, also congratulated all of the successful councillors.

Meanwhile, UNC Senator Sadiq Baksh said he too was “pleased” with the results. “The process was done in a fair and equitable manner and we did not have a problem with it.” The successful UNC alderman Ramlochan Panchoo said “hard work and God,” had triumphed in the draw for control of the Corporation. The PNM councillors are Dansam Dansook (Ecclesville), Matthew Pierre (Mayaro) and Fitzroy Ottley (Cocal/Mafeking), while UNC councillors are Hazarie Ramdeen (Rio Claro North), Gangaram Ramlogan (Rio Claro South) and Glen Ram, (Biche). By Friday, the Corporation’s Chairperson and deputies, are expected to be sworn in.