Claiming there was “dictatorship” in the Diego Martin Central constituency executive, scores of angry People’s National Movement (PNM) members forced a scheduled meeting of the executive to be shifted to a different venue yesterday.
The meeting had been called to weigh fresh candidate options to go before the PNM screening committee in the wake of the rejection last week of incumbent MP Amery Browne.
But the constituents, reportedly upset at Browne’s general election snub by the Diego Martin executive, reportedly disrupted the meeting at the Diamond Vale Community Centre, forcing the executive to move to a new venue due to the uncomfortable situation in which they were put.
Sources told the T&T Guardian that Browne, who got no votes from the Diego Martin executive during the screening process, was neither aware of the meeting nor was he invited to it.
But a vocal group of supporters said they got word of the meeting via a text message and felt it was necessary to attend.
The mainly female group which assembled outside the community centre said they were initially told it was a constituency meeting and felt they should attend to voice their anger over Browne’s rejection but they said when they entered the facility they were told that it was not a constituency meeting but a meeting of the executive.
Not wanting any confrontation or bacchanal, Irene Hinds, vice chair of the constituency and PNM operations officer, and others left for the nearby office of Diamond Vale councillor Gail La Touche, where they conducted the meeting.
Constituency member Emerita Sambrano said they were supporting Browne because he remained a “very hard working MP.”
Another party supporter shouted: “We are hurting.”
Later the group shouted: “Dictators!”
Another upset member, Joy Belfon, said it was “unfair” for the executive to control the process in the manner it did. She said the constituency was not only two or three people, adding the “dictatorship” must not be allowed to continue.
“The dictatorship has to stop,” she demanded as others all applauded.
She insisted: “What goes around will come back around 500 million times with a different force.”
She stressed there was “dictatorship in the constituency.”
“Why must one set of people dictate who represents us in Diego Martin Central?” another supporter shouted.
The executive meeting ended shortly before 8 pm.
Chairman of the constituency Osborne Charles offered “no comment” as he departed.
But Hinds said: “We had an executive meeting to decide where we go from here.”
She said what was discussed at the meeting was private and the chairmen and secretaries of all party groups in the Diego Martin constituency would be told of their decision tomorrow.
The constituency was given until Monday to find a new candidate.
No comment
Contacted last night, Browne declined comment.
However, Browne said last week that although he respected the decision of the screening committee he intended to run again and hoped “that ultimately the best decision will be made.”
“My life has been one of service to the less-fortunate since long before I entered politics and my commitment and sense of duty to my constituents and to the people of Trinidad and Tobago remain as strong and binding today as ever before,” he said. He did say, however, that he was still very committed to the party.
“Diego Martin Central remains critical to the fortunes of the People’s National Movement in this coming election and I am committed to playing a role in ensuring our success,” he added.
Also contacted last night, PNM general secretary Ashton Ford said the executive meeting was called because the members had a limited time to do its work. It was given until Monday to find a new candidate to be screened for the seat, he added.