The run-off election for the political leader of the People’s National Movement’s Tobago Council will go on today as planned, despite the passing of former prime minister Patrick Manning yesterday.
The run-off between Kelvin Charles and Tracy Davidson-Celestine was forced after both failed to garner 50 per cent plus one vote required in the initial election last Sunday.
Some 4,185 members out of 8,077 voted last week, with Charles receiving 1,289 votes and Davidson-Celestine 1,070.
In an interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday, former chairman of the Elections Committee, Alvin Pascall, said Manning had dedicated his life to politics and would not have wanted an election to be postponed because of him.
“I don’t think at all that Mr Manning would ever want us to abort a whole election because of these kinds of circumstances. He is somebody who would want it to go on like normal, if you know of him, he was all politics, politics was his whole life, so I don’t think he would have wanted us to stop this election,” Pascall said, who worked with Manning for eight years as his legal adviser.
Pascall said he also believes the level of participation at today’s polls should increase in remembrance of Manning. He also said the Tobago Council is expected to stage a candle light vigil until Manning’s burial.
Meanwhile, in response to a letter from defeated candidate Rennie Dumas to halt the run-off elections due to several inconsistencies and discrepancies in last Sunday’s polls, Pascall said Dumas’ claims could not be substantiated.
“We do not think what Mr Dumas has said would be fatal. I’m trying to get a meeting with Mr Dumas to at least show him where the things he said there cannot be substantiated, but he said he has evidence to substantiate them. I would love to put him on the back foot like now for him to substantiate those allegations,” he said
PNM general secretary Ashton Ford, who is on the island for the election, also said while there were some shortcomings with the electoral list, the election will go ahead.
“As general secretary I haven’t received any document, Dr Rowley hasn’t received anything, the chairman Franklin Khan hasn’t received anything. We are not going to be derailed in terms of proceeding with our plans in the PNM by one individual,” Ford said.
On the issue of alliances being formed in support of Davidson-Celestine, Ford said the party is a democracy and anyone was free to align with any candidate they desire.
Over the past few days, Davidson-Celestine has received endorsements from losing leadership candidates, Dr Denise Tsoi-a-fatt-Angus and Dumas, and chairmanship candidates Wendell Berkley and Kurt Salandy.
Polls open at 6 am and are expected to close at 4 pm.