ROWLEY AIMS FOR XMAS LG POLLS

PRIME MINISTER Dr. Keith Rowley is marshalling his PNM flock for a Local Government election, possibly before the end of the year. 

Rowley is aiming to catch the UNC flat-footed since certain senior operatives in the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led party are expecting the municipal polls to be put off by up to a year. 

Those UNC analysts have pointed to the Local Government reform Bill that is finally coming to the floor of Parliament, with debate and assent likely to take several months. 

But informed PNM sources said the party’s top brass reintroduced the legislation as a red herring to have the UNC unprepared for the LG election. 

That legislative reform measure has been in various stages of preparation for more than five years. 

Some UNC officials have also noted the December leadership election of the PNM, and reasoned that the country would not be summoned to national polls during that period. 

But Rowley has held all elections when constitutionally due, unlike Patrick Manning, who, as Prime Minister, put off the LG polls three times. 

On those occasions, councillors enjoyed extended terms of office.  

The three-year term of councillors expired on November 2. 

Under the Municipal Corporation Act, Rowley has up to three months to call the election. 

In the 2019 LG polls, the PNM and UNC each won seven municipal corporations. 

PNM lost the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation. 

UNC won 81 seats, compared to 54 in the 2016 election. 

PNM secured 72 constituencies, a decline from 83 in the previous poll. 

UNC won the popular vote, with 54 per cent of the votes cast. 

This was an increase of 4.7 per cent from the 2016 poll. 

Sunshine Today understands that polling day workers have been recruited and trained by the Elections and Boundaries Commission. 

Both PNM and UNC have launched their respective nomination processes for candidates. 

Rowley held two public meetings last week, and others are planned. 

The PNM top brass has also met the bosses of a Port of Spain-based advertising agency and discussed election mechanics, including a campaign theme. 

Over the next few weeks, the Government would repair the country’s infrastructure, a sore issue with the electorate. 

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan has announced plans to improve 200 roads. 

This newspaper had previously reported that much emphasis would be placed on the Sangre Grande region, as the PNM aspires to recapture that regional corporation. 

The corporation covers 917 kilometres, much of it overlapping the area of the Toco-Sangre Grande general election constituency. 

Winning the corporation is crucial in prevailing in the Toco-Sangre Grande seat, which is currently held by the PNM’s Roger Munroe.  

The Government would also spend $250 million assigned to a new special purposes company, in improving the infrastructure. 

The company is under the direction of Local Government and Rural Development Minister Faris Al Rawi. 

Other political parties, including People’s Empowerment Party, are currently mobilising electoral support. 

PNM sources acknowledged its unpopularity with much of the electorate because of crime, poverty and other issues, but said that Rowley would lead “a speaking tour” over the next few weeks. 

If the Prime Minister aims for a scheduled election, Trinidad and Tobago could go to the polls at Christmas time, in the midst of yuletide shopping, parang and sorrel.