ASHTON FORD

WHEN THE history of the People's National Movement (PNM) is written, Franklin Abraham Khan will definitely be featured prominently.

Frankie, as he was affectionately called by all and sundry throughout the country, had a chequered political career spanning over 26 years, having served as a Member of Parliament, member of Cabinet and chairman of the most illustrious political party in TT, the PNM.

Frankie and I were elected chairman and general secretary in March 2011 at a special party convention at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre. It was also the early stages of new political leader Dr Rowley's tenure.

Changes in the governance of the party under Rowley's leadership and Frankie's chairmanship took shape very promptly when the meeting time of the general council moved from 3 pm to 2 pm in order to give members more time for discussions at the highest forum of the party.

The whole question of the use of the balisier tie was another major and significant change which generated a very lively debate at a general council meeting. When the idea was first whispered among party members, some of the senior stalwarts declared that any move to 'tamper' with the balisier tie would be disastrous to Rowley's leadership.

As chairman, Frankie had to use his masterly skills to preside over what was expected to be a very hostile debate. However, the debate resulted in favour of the move to give members of the legislative group the right to wear a tie of their choice at sittings in all chambers, ie, House of Representatives, Senate and local government bodies.

This decision resulted in the balisier tie being used by the entire membership and not restricted to the members of the legislative group as occurred in the past from the party's inception in 1956.

Frankie's chairmanship was tested even more vigorously when the general council debated and accepted a recommendation from the political leader to introduce the change from the delegates voting system at a convention to one man, one vote for all registered members.

After islandwide consultations among party members by a committee led by Bridgid Annisette-George, the recommendations for the change in the party's constitution was unanimously accepted at a convention at St Augustine.

In 2014, Frankie had to preside over the first internal party elections using the one man, one vote system. It was a rigorous and heated campaign which saw Frankie at his best on the platform.

He told me after the campaign that he was stronger and wiser as a politician because we endured some blistering attacks from the opposing team.

However, not all the times we shared were in the political battlefield. Before our assumption as chairman and general secretary we spent some memorable moments while I served at the high commission in London.

His trips to London with his family came about because his beloved daughter was a law student in the UK. Also, after he resigned as chairman of the party and minister of government, he had more time to visit her. Even though

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