With Tobago Council elections results yet to be announced, the People’s National Movement (PNM) has said it will make its call for the nomination of candidates for local government elections in Trinidad today. PNM chairman Franklin Khan announced this on Saturday at a news conference following the party’s 17th regular meeting of the General Council yesterday.
The meeting covered the years 2014 to 2016. Khan, who spoke to media after the meeting, said Prime Minister Keith Rowley had instructed the general secretary to call for nominations of local government candidates on Monday. Local government elections are due by October 21.
However, Khan said the Municipal Corporations Act allows the elections to take place within 90 days following that date, leaving a back-end date of January 31.
“I can say that elections will not be held in 2017 so obviously it will be at the end of 2016. I have said it will not be postponed,” Khan said. He said the deadline for nominations for the party would be on July 31 and the party would begin screening in early August.
Khan’s promise of local government elections before the end of the year coincides with his promise of legislation to reform local government going to Parliament.
Khan, who is also the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, said the Government planned to introduce the legislation in Parliament before 2017. He said the Government has held 14 consultations on the reform of local government and that the Government is in the process of producing a policy paper which should be ready in three weeks.
The policy paper would then go to Cabinet for approval, followed by two more public consultations, and a draft of legislative changes.
The changes would be applied to two pieces of legislation, the Municipal Corporations Act and the Exchequer and Audit Act, as the corporations would be given greater financial autonomy. He added, however, that the next election would be held under the old system.
“There will be no major changes in terms of candidate profile. When somebody seeks public office, the only criteria they need to meet is that they are 18 years or over, a citizen of T&T, no criminal record and of sound mind. In a democracy that is the only criteria.”
Asked whether the party would follow the example set in the last general election, by introducing new faces, Khan said the screening committee would determine who were the best candidates.
“As a party we cannot set criteria, a degree or eight subjects or what have you. As a party we do not set hurdles for people. If we did, we would never have had Kamaluddin Mohammed, but in the screening exercise we will obviously choose the best candidate.
“We are cognisant of the fact that people can come from humble beginnings,” he said. He said he would like to see integrity, love for people and a passion for public office, but added that professional skills and educational background did play a part.
INTERIM PRO
Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Port-of-Spain South, St Ann’s MP Stuart Young was yesterday appointed interim public relations officer of the PNM. He replaces Ronald Huggins, who resigned with immediate effect due to personal obligations.
The decision was made yesterday at the party’s general council meeting. The party will vote in a new PRO in its September convention. Khan, who announced the change, said from now until September, the general council had taken the advice of Dr Rowley to appoint Young as interim PRO.