Minister: PNM in good shape for 2006 polls

LOCAL Government Minister Rennie Dumas said an Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) report, proposing that Trinidad and Tobago’s constituencies be increased from 36 to 41, will not significantly alter existing Local Government boundaries, and he expressed confidence  it would not affect the PNM’s ability to win the 2006 Local Government elections.  The EBC report was laid in the House of Representatives in June, and Prime Minister Patrick Manning said the PNM had no problems with its proposals but would study the matter further. Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday said yesterday the UNC was still studying the report but had not reached any firm conclusions. PNM chairman, Works Minister Franklyn Khan, said the party would use that report as a template to fashion its strategies for the 2006 Local Government election and the 2007 General Election. The PNM made significant inroads into UNC strongholds when it won the 2003 Local Government polls.

Addressing a news conference at Kent House in Maraval yesterday, Dumas said while adoption of the EBC report may shift some electoral districts from one corporation to another, the changes would be minor and should not affect persons in terms of which district they vote in for the Local Government election. He explained that the EBC issues separate reports for national and local governance and the report laid in Parliament belonged to the former category. “While the electoral district may remain constant, the placement of the electoral district for Local Government is specific to Local Government. Good governance is what is rewarded by the population at election time,” the Minister stated. Dumas also said the Ministry was exploring the possibility of splitting the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation into two bodies. While stressing that the ongoing Local Government reform process was not a partisan exercise, Dumas hinted that the PNM’s election fortunes could be significantly improved depending on how well the process goes.

Noting that existing Local Government legislation (Municipal Corporations Act 21 of 1990) needed to be revamped to meet the aspirations of a modern TT, Dumas said, “If you follow the pace, I would expect that we would have a complete (legislative) review by this time next year.” National consultation on the Local Government Reform 2004 draft policy paper begins on August 18 and 19 at the Hilton Trinidad. This will be followed by four regional consultations: North/East (Tunapuna/Piarco, Sangre Grande, Arima and Mayaro/Rio Claro Corporations) on August 25, Sangre Grande Regional Corporation; North/West (Diego Martin, Port-of-Spain, San Juan/Laventille) on August 23, Port-of-Spain City Hall; South/West (Point Fortin, Siparia, Penal/Debe, Princes Town Corporations) on September 1, San Fernando Multipurpose Facility and South/Central (San Fernando, Couva/ Tabaquite/Talparo and Chaguanas Corporations) on August 30, Rudranath Capildeo Learning Resource Centre in Couva.