At the close of the PNM's Nomination Day for its internal elections, Pennelope Beckles-Robinson remained the sole contender for the post of Political Leader. However the same could not be said for other key positions, such as the Chairman and General Secretary posts. Rynessa Cutting was at Balisier House on Monday.
00:00At the close of the PNM's nomination day for its internal elections, Penelope Beckles-Robinson
00:05remained the sole contender for the post of political leader. However, the same could not
00:10be said for other key positions, such as the chairman and general secretary posts.
00:15Renessa Cutting was at Ballysee House today.
00:22With no contenders to a bid for the post of political leader, Penelope Beckles-Robinson
00:28can safely claim the title ahead of the PNM's June 22nd internal elections. She spoke with
00:35reporters prior to the close of nominations.
00:39A little emotional, you know, but as someone having the opportunity to lead the People's
00:45National Movement, that is a privilege and honor. And I'm looking forward that it's open for
00:51anybody. I mean, that's the great thing about democracy and the People's National Movement.
00:54So I'm looking forward. I'll wait and see. And if there is one or two opponents, then
01:02it means that the People's National Movement is alive and well. And, you know, I'm looking
01:06forward.
01:07Beckles-Robinson also responded to critics who suggest she is too soft and too quiet for
01:13the role.
01:13I do not know that leadership is about how loud you speak. It's about your strategy. It's
01:18about being effective. For me specifically, I was elected leader of opposition, not leader
01:23of the party. And I have made the point that it's important to be the leader of the party
01:28so you can speak particularly on issues from a party perspective, from that strength as a
01:36political leader. So I am happy that we have had the elections. It's now, you know, the process
01:41has started, nominations, elections will be on the 22nd. And I've said today was the first
01:47day that I'm officially in the leader of the opposition office so that it gives me the opportunity
01:52for us to have our press conferences there.
01:54Fifteen other positions are up for grabs on the executive. And while Dr. Nian Gadsby-Dawley
01:59was only recently elected to the position of interim chairman by the general council, it is
02:05marvelous Marvin who aspires to the post. Attorney for Ihove Musasai and Port of Spain Mayor
02:11Chinwa Allen are also running for chairman.
02:14The challenge is good. I think it makes the democracy more interesting. You don't feel
02:19as though that you're just ushered into a position or you are just sanctioned by a general council.
02:25So competition is very good and I look forward to going on the campaign trail and convincing
02:30PNM members why I should be elected as chairman to rebuild the party at this point in time.
02:36Dr. Dawley is contesting the post of Lady Vice Chairman. Meantime, Dr. Amy Brown has thrown
02:42his hat into the ring for Vice Chairman.
02:44This really is the first opportunity with the one man, one vote system to offer myself along
02:51with several other distinguished colleagues to serve the party at a higher level. I've been
02:57a member for 30 years now and I've never offered myself previously. I must tell you I've been
03:04inspired by the Honorable Penelope Beckles. Foster Cummings is hoping to retain his position as
03:09General Secretary of the PNM and he's dismissing accusations leveled against him and the current
03:15general council by an anonymous group titled The Changemakers. To get off the list there are only
03:22three ways that you can do that. One, you go to meet the maker. If you die, you're off the list.
03:30If you are expelled and there's a due process to be expelled in the PNM, if you're expelled,
03:35you're off the list and if you voluntarily resign. Other than that, there is no way to get on the list or to get off the list.
03:44So you are standing by the validity of the listing and also the fairness of the upcoming election.
03:49Well, I just pointed out to you and the national community the process to get on the list and to get off the list.
03:56And this list has been with us. It dates back to previous years of Dr. Williams, Mr. Manning, Mr. Chambers, Dr. Rowley.
04:08Dr. Rowley. This list has been around for a while and that is the only way to get on or off of it.
04:13This election, as all elections in the PNM, will be conducted free and fair and be supervised by the Independent Supervisory Committee.
04:22However, he's not denying aspirations to become political leader of the PNM.
04:27When the time comes and I decide that that is the direction that I wish to go, I will be the first to make sure and inform party members and the national community.
04:35For this time, my support is firmly behind Penelope Beckles, political leader of the PNM, and I wish her all the best and I'm sure that she will be victorious in this election.
04:44Neither Stuart Young nor Colm Inboot have put themselves far for any post on the executive.
04:50Renessa Cutting, TV6 News.
04:53Well, at the close of the polls today, the Election Supervisory Committee confirmed a smooth process with 51 party members offering themselves for nomination.
05:04As mentioned, opposition leader Penelope Beckles Robinson was the sole nominee for the position of political leader and was therefore nominated unopposed.
05:14Issa Mohamed, Paula Gopi-Skoon and Mohamed Eunice Ibrahim are throwing their hats in the ring for the post of vice chairman.
05:21And Donna Cox is vying for the lady vice chairman post.
05:25Meantime, Tova Sandi and Roger Boynes are vying against Foster Cummings for the post of general secretary.
05:32The Election Supervisory Committee says it remains resolute in a transparent, democratic and smooth election process as the party membership chooses their leaders.
05:42On the next Friday,ATIONAOS.
05:43So, I guess what it does are just goals that she can try to record, like to draft article this book because,
05:48because!
05:49I would go through there if I know that was not a change of getting around the horror anymore,
05:57but I would consider that已经 rules over to the podcast as Tirith and Paul Kimы hein hatten.
05:59And also that we vote for the history of his partners as Richard New York,
06:04and that was the first as theadel for the post.
06:05If you come back from this but an introduction to theataon K tickets.
06:06And with back to not quite a victims of marketing review,
06:07and lets get to watch the post on Twitter if it were getting suited,
06:09and there was not a Mengen now andune.
06:09But then gown on Twitter is tuned for the post.
Be the first to comment