Prime Minister Keith Rowley who leaves for the United States on vacation next week is expected to be back in time for start of screening of People’s National Movement’s (PNM) Local Government nominees which begins August 17.
Rowley will leave on August 4 for Los Angeles for two weeks, PNM officials said last week.
He’s said he will do a medical check while overseas and “take a few days off.”
Rowley will leave soon T&T after Finance Minister Colm Imbert returns early this week from his overseas bond-raising trip. The office of the PNM general secretary recently issued an advisory on the local government nominee screening schedule recently.
The exercise will take place from August 17 to 26 to obtain nominees for the 136 positions in the 14 regional corporations.
Of the 136 electoral districts, the PNM currently holds 84 areas in eight corporations. The Opposition holds 46 in six others and three areas each are held by the Congress of the People (COP) and Independent Liberal Party (ILP). Local government polls are due between October 21, 2016, and January 21, 2017.
PNM chairman Franklin Khan said in June polls will “very likely” be held before year-end and “under no circumstances” will they be postponed.
He said it would be kept within the three-month period, as Tobago House of Assembly elections are due January 2017.
PNM sources last Saturday hinted polls will be between late November and early December.
PNM screening starts at 5 pm on August 17 (at Balisier House) for nominees for Arima Borough Corporation and Diego Martin Regional Corporation. (See box)
Following completion of a draft order for polls by the Election and Boundaries Commission - which made adjustments to boundaries in a few areas and cleared the way for polls to be held - PNM chairman Khan in May made it clear that the PNM was seeking high-calibre prospective nominees and no hopefuls could have any matters before the court or similar entanglements.
That will rule out at least one current councillor who has matters before the court, officials said.
The Opposition UNC which started screening three weeks ago is expected to complete screening by mid-August, the party says.
UNC which started screening in July has completed half of the nominees. Screening continues Wednesday at UNC’s new headquarters at Exchange Village, Couva, a stone’s throw from the previous Rienzi Complex base.
The party moved into the new rented premises after being evicted by the All Trinidad General Workers Union this past weekend. Congress of the People general secretary Clive Weatherhead said the COP has to decide how it will participate in the polls and discuss the “how, where” and other questions of participation. He said so when asked particularly if the COP would be involved in any accommodation with the UNC as obtained when the Peoples’ Partnership coalition came into being in 2010.
Former COP leader Prakash Ramadhar said last December the PP arrangement had ended. Weatherhead said the COP had just elected a new leader and was in discussion on many issues. Movement for Social Justice leader David Abdulah said the MSJ will contest local government polls and have meetings to finalise processes for this. Independent Liberal Party leader Rekha Ramjit said ILP hadn’t decided whether it would contest.
PNM screenings
n August 18 at the South Regional office (Point Fortin Borough Corporation and San Fernando City Corporation),
n August 19 at Balisier House (Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation and San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation).
n August 22 at Balisier House (Chaguanas Borough Corporation and Sangre Grande Regional Corporation).
n August 24 at South office (Princes Town, Mayaro/Rio Claro and Siparia Regional Corporation.)
n August 25 at Balisier House (for Port of Spain City Corporation).
n August 26 at PNM’s south office (Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo & Penal/Debe Corporations).