The Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) has recommended boundary changes in 10 constituencies in North and South Trinidad, including San Fernando East, San Fernando West and Oropouche East, for the upcoming 2015 general elections.
Among recommendations, the EBC proposes shifting three polling divisions from Oropouche East (held by the ruling UNC/PP) into San Fernando East (held by the Opposition PNM).
Also recommended is the shift of two polling divisions from San Fernando East (held by PNM) to San Fernando West (held by COP/PP).
The EBC order was laid in Parliament yesterday by People’s Partnership House leader Roodal Moonilal, who denied Opposition People’s National Movement claims that Government had been “suppressing” the EBC document.
The EBC, in charge of election preparations, has responsibility for review of the number of boundaries into which T&T is divided. There are 41 constituencies.
The EBC’s draft order is part of preparations for the upcoming elections after the PP’s term ends on May 24. Parliament prorogues in June. Outermost term limit is September, the Prime Minister has said.
The EBC draft order recommended that Trinidad should be divided into 39 constituencies and that no changes should be made in 29 of these, or in the two Tobago constituencies.
However, alterations of the boundaries of 10 Trinidad constituencies were recommended. This involves shifts of polling stations from some constituencies into others.
The affected constituencies are Couva North/South, Diego Martin West/Central/North East, Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West, Port-of-Spain South, San Fernando East and West and Oropouche.
According to the EBC order, the document had been submitted to the Prime Minister and Speaker of the House of Representatives on April 28, 2014.
But in presenting the document in Parliament, Moonilal said Cabinet had examined and approved the document on February 12 after the necessary requisites for matters of this nature were done.
“I say this to refute preposterous allegations by people equally preposterous - the usual suspects - that Government was suppressing the report and Government wants to ‘voter pad.’ Nothing is further from the truth,” he said, adding Government had not been dragging its feet on the EBC order.
Moonilal said the PNM was judging the PP by what it was accustomed to doing and the PNM had made mischievous statements on the matter.
PP sat on report—Imbert
However, PNM vice chairman Colm Imbert last night told the T&T Guardian, “The report is dated April 28, 2014, which means the Government had had it in its possession for almost one year.
“Dr Moonilal also confirmed it only went to Cabinet in February this year, so that means the PP sat on this report for at least nine months before even seeking Cabinet approval to table it in Parliament.
“In all that time they would have known that the major change that has taken place is that three strongly pro-UNC polling divisions have been moved from Oropouche East into San Fernando East, thus weakening the seat for the PNM by 1,000 votes.”
Imbert added, “The potential for voter-padding and house padding over the last year is also very real and we in PNM will now have to scrutinise the movement of voters in those polling divisions, especially in the Corinth area.”
Under EBC’s recommendation, boundaries in San Fernando East (PNM-held) would shift due to transfer from this constituency of two polling divisions to San Fernando West (COP-held) and transfer into San Fernando East of three polling divisions from Oropouche East (UNC/PP).
In San Fernando West (held by the CO/PP), changes will also be made due to the transfer into this constituency of two polling divisions from San Fernando East.
In Oropouche East, changes are also proposed due to the transfer from this constituency of three polling divisions to San Fernando East.
It has been recommended that one polling division from Couva North (UNC/PP) be transferred to neighbouring Couva South (UNC/PP), causing a shift of boundary there also.
In Diego Martin West (PNM), one polling division will be transferred to neighbouring Diego Martin Central (PNM) and another transferred from nearby Diego Martin North East (PNM) to Diego Martin West.
A Diego Martin North East polling division will be moved to Diego Martin West and two polling divisions also moved to Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West.
Boundaries in PoS North/St Ann’s West (held by PNM) will also change due to transfer of two polling divisions from Diego Martin North East and in addition, transfer of one polling division to PoS South (held by PNM)
PoS South’s boundaries will change due to the addition of the one polling division from PoS North/St Ann’s West.
After the laying of the order in Parliament yesterday, the document’s recommendations will be debated by MPs in upcoming Parliament sittings before it is approved.