Putting all speculation to rest, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday announced the date of the Local Government elections: November 28.
Stating this was the main reason he attended yesterday’s weekly post-Cabinet meeting, Rowley said he advised President Anthony Carmona yesterday to issue a writ for the elections.
“Nomination day would be November 7 and the elections will take place on November 28,” he added.
Rowley said the elections “puts us in a heightened period of activity.”
He said one of the main reasons for calling it was to get the whole question of elections and its ups and downs out of the way as quickly as possibly so the country can focus on the business of coping with its challenges.
He said, hopefully, by the new year the Government could focus undistractedly on an aggressive development programme that would result in job creation.
He said the Government wanted to make its best effort to bring about some economic growth and alleviate the crime situation.
He said the Government could have delayed the elections for 90 days until January but there were other things to consider.
The Tobago House of Assembly elections were also due early next year. In addition, the Government was going through a very challenging period managing the country’s finances, he added.
“We’ve just had a budget which had some substantial downward pressure... there are issues in the energy sector. We are trying to maintain and create employment.
“If we get the elections out of the way, we can focus better on them,” he said.
Responding to questions from the media, the PM said calling the elections was a matter for the Prime Minister and not the Opposition Leader.
“So it’s part of my duty and I’m doing it to the best of my ability,” he added.
Rowley said the Government had the commitment from the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) that it was prepared for the local government elections next month.
Expressing confidence in the EBC, he said it distinguished itself in the handling of six or seven elections of one kind or the other during a “season of elections” not too long ago.
“So, we are working with good experience,” he said.
Rowley’s announcement of the elections came one day after the Appeal Court rejected an appeal by the United National Congress (UNC) challenging the dismissal of its election petitions over the results of the 2015 general election.
They brought the petitions after they contended the EBC’s decision to extend voting hours after the 6 pm close of polls on September 7, 2015 affected the outcome of the election. (See Page A8 & A9)