Blenman can vote in San Fernando East Women’s League election

An 81-year-old veteran People’s National Movement (PNM) member has been cleared to participate in the San Fernando East Women’s League elections this evening.

Bernadette Shirley Blenman, of Ste Madeleine, was approved to participate after High Court Judge Christopher Sieuchand this afternoon considered an injunction application over a move to exclude her from the poll.

Blenman, who has been a member of the party since the 1960s, claimed that several weeks ago, a party group she founded was no longer recognised by the party.

She claimed that although she and other members of the now-defunct group were advised to join another party group, they were unable to do so.

She claimed that when the party’s secretariat issued notice of the constituency’s Women’s League annual general meeting earlier this month, it indicated that only members of party groups who were in good financial standing were allowed to participate.

In her substantive case, filed alongside an injunction application to allow her to participate, Blenman, through her lawyers Matthew Gayle and Richard Rojas of New City Chambers, is challenging the legality of requiring party group membership as a prerequisite for participation.

In a court order issued by Justice Sieuchand, PNM General Secretary Foster Cummings acknowledged that Blenman was a member of the group she tried to join and that all members of that group were entitled to vote at the meeting.

Justice Sieuchand also gave directions for the filing of the substantive case, which was deemed urgent.

Cummings was represented by Sanjeev Boodhu and Sasha Paula Singh.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. tonight at the Vistabella Regional Complex.