Caption: Mayaro MP Rushton Paray at the United Patriots headquarters in Couva on Saturday evening after the polls closed for UNC internal elections. AZP News/Sue-Ann Wayow
By Sue-Ann Wayow
NOW that the United National Congress (UNC) membership has chosen the STAR team slate to form the next national executive (Natex), the defeated United Patriots will continue its work in the party.
On Saturday night, United Patriots (UP) leader Rushton Paray said, “Whatever the result is tomorrow, we will continue to stand behind the membership of this party. We will continue to stand behind every citizen of this country who wants something better because it was always our feeling that a stronger UNC is a stronger Trinidad and Tobago.”
Paray spoke with AZP News at the UP’s main campaign office in Couva just before the results of the UNC’s internal elections began trickling in on Saturday evening.
He said, “At the end of the day, we are one party, we are one family. Monday morning, we have two bye elections to win… To me, the excitement that we built in the party for this internal election, I suspect that will transfer on to Monday and we will continue to support our candidates there and we will look for a win.
“Right after that, we will continue as a party, all of us, as far as I see it, we will continue to put pressure on the PNM to work on behalf of the people until the day a general election is called within the next year or so.”
About his role in the party the Mayaro MP said, “We will, I will continue to be a strong viable member of the UNC. I will continue to do my work on behalf of the party, do my legislative work on behalf of the Parliament and represent the people of Mayaro which I have always done for the last nine years.”
Paray said he was very pleased with the voter turnout throughout the day with the UP taking credit for inspiring and energising the UNC membership.
Traditionally, internal elections have had low voter turnouts but he was anticipating that at the end of tallying, the UNC would have seen one of the highest voter turnouts in the party’s history.
“On that point I think that I am satisfied because the projections are looking anywhere above 15,000 votes,” Paray said.
Paid political advertisement
That high figure showed a rejuvenation of the party he added.
Paray voted at 5.30 pm at the Rio Claro Presbyterian Primary School. His intention was to vote earlier in the day but he spent most of the day “outing fires” which he said he will talk more about at a later date.
Based on the complex voting system, more accurate figures would have been ready by Sunday morning.
Paray also pledged to work with STAR team leader and current political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her team.
“Mrs Persad-Bissessar is the undisputed political leader and she will be the political leader in the morning and on Monday morning… Would Mrs Persad-Bissessar be going into that chair for election next year, I don’t know, leaders come and go but until that time Mrs Persad-Bissessar will be the political leader and it is our job to work with her.”
He explained that Natex elections are supposed to be held every two years according to the Constitution and every three years the post of political leader could be contested.
Paray said, “There is a reason for that because the framers of the Constitution did not want to have a political leader having an oversight or undue influence on the management team.”
The last two internal elections brought both together.
“To me, that is the nexus of the problems we are facing in the party because there has been a watering down of the management and administration of the governing of the party because of that dilemma.” he said
UP members were pleased that the constitution was adhered to and the two elections will be held separately.
Given that next year is the due date for another general election, it will be up to the Natex members to decide if the election for political leader will be held, prior or post general election.
The United Patriots will host a press conference at its main office in Couva at 11.30 am on Sunday to further discuss the election results.
