$3m to hunt for new Opposition Leader

[zuluwarrior]

$3m to hunt for new Opposition Leader
Published: 5 Jul 2009

 Garvin Nicholas



Alyuh feel this would make ah difference or the leaders of the parties would be fighting and cause parties to break away again ? me personnel i feel that could never work know the temperement of these men.
A fresh effort with a democratic twist is being made to throw up an Opposition Leader who can unite all forces against the ruling PNM. Spearheading the effort to hold what is, to all intents and purposes, a national referendum, is Movement for National Development (MND) political leader, Garvin Nicholas.

Rooted in the truism that “the voice of the people is the voice of God,” Nicholas has come up with the idea to hold a referendum with a difference, involving all 1,022,284 members of the electorate in T&T. He is being supported by YesTT leader, Stephen Cadiz, and he plans to fund the process through pledges from citizens and the business community, in particular the Chambers of Commerce and the T&T Manufacturers’ Association. mThis, he said, would allow for wider participation.

Nicholas told the Sunday Guardian in an interview at his Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, law office, last week, that holding the referendum would cost $3.5 million. Nicholas said he had engaged senior UNC-A and COP officials in talks on his referendum proposals, and had received “very good feedback." He added: “There were concerns, however, that the PNM would seek to hijack the referendum.”

Nicholas has absolutue confidence, however, that the peoople of T&T are mature enough to engage in the project for a successful outcome. "My thinking is let everyone eligible to vote have their say. And let the chips fall where they may," said Nicholas. He said the T&T Constitution did not recognise the holding of a referendum to make political decisions, but it was hoped if the current effort came off successfully, it would influence constitution reform in this direction.

All existing political parties outside of the PNM, including splinter groups, would be asked to propose the name of an Opposition Leader to be placed on a ballot paper, which would be posted to the T&T electorate, as detailed on the Elections and Boundaries Commission's (EBC) latest voting list, which is being posted in all 41 constituencies this month. Respondents would be asked to tick the respective leader they supported and either mail or hand-deliver the ballot paper back to the returning officers the MND would have put in place.

Nicholas said among the parties to be invited to highlight leaders would be "Panday's UNC, Ramjack UNC, Dookeran's COP, Meighoo's DNA, Alvarez's DPTT, Charles' NAR and my MND." Nicholas said they intended to hire auditors approved by the various parties to ensure the integrity of the process.

[Bourbon]

I think i hear Jack starting a party......i was outside painting so i eh get to hear de news report properly..buh constitution supposedly done draft up and ting.

Edit: Dis all i find so far

Change' caravan to roll in
Renuka Singh

Sunday, July 5th 2009

   

A canvassing caravan outfitted with a mobile stage, public address systems and members armed with a Manifesto for Change, will, from Wednesday, travel T&T, with its starting point being in UNC's political leader Basdeo Panday's constituency of Couva North,

This mobilisation caravan, under a Movement for Change umbrella, is the brainchild of UNC MPs Jack Warner, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Winston Peters, who announced their plan at a press conference at the Centre of Excellence yesterday.

"We will meet at the bastion of the old order to give way to the new," Warner said of the plan for the caravan to meet outside Rienzi Complex, the home of the United National Congress.

Asked to comment on this development, Panday, who said he will not be attending any of the planned meetings, declared:

"Sounds crazy to me."

Panday said the trio of Warner, Maharaj and Peters have already abandoned the true UNC party and said he suspected they were forming their own unit.

And he has no problem with their planned launch being in front of Rienzi Complex.

"The roads are for everyone, they can start on the road in front of Balisier House for all I care," he said.

At yesterday's press conference, Warner and Maharaj also spoke of local government elections and the planned smelter plant at La Brea.

Warner, noting that a debate will be held in Parliament tomorrow to finalise the extension of the life of the Local Government Council by another year, said this had come as no surprise and that what the Prime Minister had done was effectively postpone UNC (local government?) elections with that move.

Maharaj said he believed the Prime Minister would continue to postpone local government elections so as to have enough time to establish the Caribbean Court of Justice. The CCJ, he contended, would support plans for building a the smelter plant in T&T.



Wha i feel de tactic is.......link a party.....maybe contest local government elections....which does real deal with grass roots....see how de support is..and expand and consolidate dat base for general elections.

[mal jeux]

NO USE. uncle patos still manners in dem again and again!

[Babalawo]

Trini culture is wayyy too much traditionalist for this to work.  They are stuck in their ways, and if not would of been many of the millions who will work hard to migrate into a open cultural society as the UK, Canada, and USA. Not staying around with a non-sense and oppressive gov't.  MND would need a very strong advertising campaign and target the youths for change as Obama skillfully did.