Three names have been put forward in the race to become the sixth President of T&T and already political analysts, social activists and attorneys have expressed support and opposition for those being bandies about as possible candidates.
The People’s National Movement (PNM), which has the majority vote, has expressed faith in retired Justice Rolston Nelson, who was hired by Angostura Holdings Ltd (AHL) to investigate a sexual harassment claim against its chairman, Dr Rolph Balgobin. The UNC has recommended ex-diplomat Reginald Dumas and former chairman of the Integrity Commission Justice Gladys Gafoor as their picks for President.
In an interview yesterday, political commentator Dr Winford James said he found it interesting the PNM had recommended Nelson due to his role in the Angostura sexual harassment issue, which James said was a conflict of interest.
Nelson had been criticised by former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj for not hearing “the sworn evidence of Balgobin and for writing a report without the benefit of hearing Balgobin be cross-examined by the attorneys of the employee who made the sexual harassment allegations.”
However, James said,” Rolston Nelson is regarded as a good legal mind; a man who understands jurisprudence and who has a strong intellect, but he has not had a record of commenting on social issues.”
Saying Nelson was well regarded among his peers, James said all previous presidents with the exception of George Maxwell Richards were from the Judiciary.
“If the PNM wants to honour that tradition, Rolston would be the obvious pick,” James said.
However, he said the best person for the job was undoubtedly Reginald Dumas, who has been speaking out on social issues with objectivity and facts.
“Dumas is never personal and he uses facts and reason. Gladys Gafoor is also a good pick, but she has not been commenting publicly on social issues as Dumas,” he added.
Political analyst Dr Maukesh Basdeo said he could not choose who was the best candidate, as all three were esteemed in their own right. However, he said the Government has a majority say so Nelson will undoubtedly be the choice for President unless the PNM had a split in votes, which was highly unlikely.
“Two are former members of the Judiciary. Reginald Dumas had an excellent career as a diplomat and all three can perform the function of president,” Basdeo said.
Asked whether the Angostura issue would have any bearing on the election of the President, Basdeo responded, “Seeing that the Prime Minister has gone forward with Nelson’s name for President, it is clear that did not factor in the nomination.”
Social activist and president of Fixin T&T Kirk Waite said yesterday he did not want to comment on the PNM’s choice for President.
“All I am willing to say is Justice Nelson should make his report public, because his argument when people were calling for it to be public was that there was condition of anonymity with the whistle-blower, but that argument is now out the window. If he makes his Angostura report public we will have a better idea of who Nelson is and what he represents,” Waite said.
Meanwhile attorney Subhas Panday said it was sad the Opposition and Government could not agree on a common candidate.
“I think at the end of the day it will be the Parliament that will choose the President, so the PNM will get their wishes and Nelson will be President,” Panday said.
But he added that the President should not be seen as a PNM president.
“When you have an election for president it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, but that is the adversarial system we inherited from Britain which divides our country, because people will say Nelson is a PNM president,” he said, adding the new President must try to bring the country together.
Political analyst Dr Hamid Ghany refused to share his thoughts on the candidacy, saying he knew all three candidates well and didn’t want to comment.
His colleague Indera Sagewan-Alli said because the PNM had the majority say in Parliament, it was evident Nelson will be the president if he was their choice. She said all three candidates had distinguished themselves in their respective fields.