UNC kicks off election campaign in Gasparillo

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday announced on Wednesday that the party has been placed on an election footing. Several campaign committees on finance, recruitment and mobilisation have been established, he said.

Panday addressed the media after a meeting of the national executive at Rienzi Complex, Couva, on Wednesday night. He said, "The party is preparing for elections, whether those elections are Local Government elections or General Elections."

The committees, Panday said, would operate from the party’s headquarters with the objective of developing a strategy for governance, intelligence, security, youth and women’s activities.

Sharing the joint press conference with Panday was UNC political leader Winston Dookeran, who said that campaign financing is an issue which has to be addressed "for the democratic process to be free from outside influences."

Dookeran said, "We are doing a comprehensive piece of work on what should be the parameters that will be able to have open transparent financing.

"We must be able to allow the election and democratic process to take place in freedom, and without influence by any large financial interests."

Dookeran said the UNC has decided to hold a series of meetings with the Elections and Boundaries Commission over the party’s concerns about recent appointments to the EBC.

Dookeran said, "The Leader of the Opposition shall be meeting with the President to express his own concern on this matter and to work out with him a more meaningful consultation process.

"We will also embark on meetings with the EBC in order to be able to identify the various issues of concern to us as we prepare for the Local Government elections."