7 hours ago
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PNM political leader Pennelope Beckles. - POLITICAL scientist Dr Bishnu Ragoonath said there remains a big question mark over the PNM leadership in both Tobago and TT, as he reacted to the Tobago People's Party's (TPP's) 15-zero sweep of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections on December 12.
Newsday asked him to reflect on the PNM's two losses in the most recent THA elections, its general election loss, plus fourthly the loss of the popular vote in the 2023 local government elections in Trinidad where the PNM and UNC tied on winning seven corporations each.
He said, "One of the challenges the PNM has to deal with right now is how does it rebuild itself?
"Clearly this PNM is on the back foot, having lost four elections if you want to test it like that."
Ragoonath said the PNM had changed its leadership at the national/parliamentary level and the Tobago level, respectively in which Arima MP Pennelope Beckles replaced Port of Spain North/St Ann's West MP Stuart Young, and Ancil Dennis replaced Tracy Davidson-Celestine heading the Tobago Council in 2021 and is now about to resign himself.
"So we really have to wait and see what happens.
"The question is whether the leadership changes are resonating with the people and the rank and file membership.
"The imposition of Young on the party without giving the party the opportunity to select a leader would have probably been one of those issues which would have led to PNM supporters staying home by 100,000 (in lost PNM voters)."
Ragoonath said the PNM will largely continue to look at all the issues the government is now implementing, citing traffic fines and Cepep/URP firings as cited by Newsday.
Ancil Dennis, outgoiing leader of the PNM Tobago Council. -
However he also asked if the government will start charging certain people based on audits now being done into actions under the former PNM administration.
"All the issues the PNM has raised in terms of the shortfalls of the government, while some of it has merit not all of it will have the kind of merit that I think the PNM thought it would have." Ragoonath said people were venting over the hikes in traffic fines and the increase in late fees from $350 to $650 to renew a drivers permit.
"But the pull back position is where the government keeps saying, 'Look, we are not doing anything new, you know.
"'We have been doing just what the PNM refused to do even though it was in the laws.'" He said that consideration could buy the UNC some more time.
"The PNM is not yet working fully well on how they deal with some of those critical issues. But I expect they will at some time have some concerns being raised.
"The PNM has its base and that's not going to change.
"Whether or not the issues the PNM are bringing to the fore are issues which the base would be keen on pursuing that is a whole, different issue."
Ragoonath examined the issue of the government's allowance of US military radar in Tobago during US-Venezuela tensions, which Augustine had said he would like to destroy.
"The PNM talked about the radar in Tobago. The opposition parties in Tobago talked about it, but did it really impact upon the voter turnout? I don't think so."
He addressed the increased traffic penalties.
"Many of the drivers I know and many car owners I know will tell you, 'Look, we make sure we get our regulations done and we do all our licensing and whatever else on time."
Ragoonath said the new traffic penalties do not necessarily apply to the majority of people.
"This applies to a small section of the society, as PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar rightly says. These are law breakers.
"It is in that context you have to ask yourself if those issues that the PNM continues to raise are going to resonate with the PNM base?
"Or are they simply doing to say 'It does not necessarily affect us alone and it is not affecting the base per se.' Those are the challenges."
English (US) ·