Comply! That’s the written directive from PNM general secretary Ashton Ford to PNM’s San Fernando East executive yesterday, mandating the unit to abide by the party leadership’s instruction to submit nominations for general election candidates by December 22. Ford said that would be the last letter to the San Fernando East executive on the issue.
He said PNM closed off party business on December 22 and screening already had ended for the year. Screening would resume sometime in 2015 but he could not say which constituencies would be screened. Ford’s letter was the latest in correspondence going back-and-forth in the last three weeks on the nomination issue between the Keith Rowley leadership and the executive of former party leader Patrick Manning’s constituency.
While the leadership is insisting nominations be submitted by December 22, the executive has countered that its members asked MP Manning to seek a health assessment and he will do so between December 23 and 31 and he will address the unit on January 2 on whether he will contest or not. If not, he has said, he would recommend someone on whom the constituency could rely and screening could take place from January 3 to 15.
The unit’s last letter to Ford last week noted Manning’s long service, the bond between him and the unit, respect required in the situation and stated that the leadership’s call for nominations in the Christmas week was “bizarre.” The executive also said the nomination process had to involve party groups which would hardly be available over the Christmas period The suggestion by Manning and his executive have, however, been repeatedly rejected by the leadership.
Ford said the latest letter he sent them yesterday, while acknowledging the unit’s last written appeal, also stated the executive must comply with the party directive on the December 22 date. Ford’s letter also pointed out appendix four of PNM’s constitution. It states that every party group and constituency group and youth league shall have the right to nominate a candidate of their choice for every general election and send the nominations to the general secretary and secretary of each group.
Ford confirmed the view in some PNM quarters that the delays in submitting nominations meant that the right of constituency groups in San Fernando to nominate people was being thwarted. He added: “This issue has been going on since November 10 and it has so far been the longest, a constituency has taken on the nomination matter. “(So) the deadline remains December 22. No extension is contemplated.”
Other top-level PNM officials told the T&T Guardian San Fernando East appeared to be listening to “other people” rather than the PNM leadership. Several San Fernando East party groups have been mulling over names, including former minister Christine Kangaloo and Christopher Chinapoo, in case Manning does not contest. Yesterday San Fernando East PRO Anthony Clarke said up to 4.30 pm the unit had not received any letter from Ford and he was unable to comment until one was in hand.
Other San Fernando East senior executives questioned why the leadership could not “go ahead and screen the other 25 constituencies that have not been done yet” and why they were “harassing San Fernando East.” Officials of both San Fernando East executive and PNM’s national executive have confirmed the leadership could propose a nominee if none was forthcoming by the nomination deadline.