One day after he was sworn in to office, Prime Minister Stuart Young called a snap general election for April 28.
The notice also came 48 hours after the PNM presented its 41 candidates at a lively rally at Woodford Square, Port of Spain, at which Dr Keith Rowley gave his political swansong hours before bowing out as prime minister at midnight on March 16.
Titled, Prime Minister Young Calls General Election, the notice on March 18 from the Office of the Prime Minister said Young had advised President Christine Kangaloo to dissolve Parliament at midnight.
It said the PM, under the Representation of the People Act (section 33), has advised election writs be issued on March 18, to fix April 4 as nomination day and April 28 as polling day.
The sudden announcement of a poll date came on a day where critics sought to question Young’s character by citing Facebook posts and old newspaper clippings alleging he had once bullied a fellow pupil at the prestigious St Mary’s College, Port of Spain.
The announcement also came amid the recent release of two videos detailing Young’s career, one narrated by Young and the other citing sources including his father, retired banker Richard Young. Recent weeks have seen the PNM complete its screenings of all candidates at Balisier House, Port of Spain.
The UNC has held its screenings over a shorter period and has held back from releasing results for many seats such as St Augustine held by incumbent MP Khadijah Ameen and Tabaquite held by incumbent MP Anita Haynes.
Several UNC MPs who had demanded the UNC hold internal elections will not seek re-election, namely Naparima MP Rodney Charles, Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir and Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally.
UNC PRO Dr Kirk Meighoo told Newsday via voice-note, “We completed screening for all seats. Eleven have been announced so far, so the remaining have to be announced.”
While the PNM has been in the limelight via ministerial statements and publicity surrounding its screenings, the UNC has garnered attention by way of itinerant meetings namely the Monday night forum and the pavement report held on Thursdays, plus Sunday briefings by its shadow ministers.
After the election notification, Newsday tried but was unable to get any comment from PNM general secretary Foster Cummings and three other prominent figures in the party.
[caption id="attachment_1144882" align="alignnone" width="683"] UNC political leaderKamla Persad-Bissessar -[/caption]
However, PNM candidate for Claxton Bay (formerly Pointe-a-Pierre) Mukesh Ramsingh, told Newsday, “Since I got the nod from Dr Rowley, which was last year, November, I have been campaigning, and I have been doing my work on the ground and the community for this election.”
He was happy the election is being called sooner rather than later.
“All I can tell you right now is that the PNM is fully united, fully in support of Prime Minister Young and the new cabinet, and we are ready for election. The opposition has been calling for it all the time, and now it’s here, so they
