By Sue-Ann Wayow
TWO groups in Trinidad and Tobago have written to CARICOM requesting election observers for the August 14 local government election.
The Push Back Movement headed by Robert Amar and the Stakeholders United Movement led by Michael Kerr wrote to CARICOM Secretary General Dr Carla Natalie Barnett on July 3, 2023, about their concerns.
The groups attempted to use the opportunity this week to hand deliver the letter while CARICOM leaders gathered in Port of Spain for the 50th anniversary of CARICOM but were unsuccessful.
The letter states, “The view expressed is that CARICOM should ensure that a team of election observers are offered to the government of Trinidad and Tobago to ensure that the 2023 local government election is free, fair, and free from fear especially been aware of the outcome of the last elections in Guyana.
“You may not be aware that Trinidad and Tobago have over the last five years become a fragile democracy. However, history would show that the use of election observers has been common practice for elections over the past years save and except for 2020 when the world was experiencing the pandemic.”
The letter also stated that there has been a call for constitutional amendments that would in the mind of the citizens produce fairer results.
Issues such as proportional representation, fix date election, two terms leadership and recall together with internal self-governance for Tobago has been a political football for over 25 years as well as the issue of referendum, the groups stated.
The letter states, “At present, the local government issue of reform under this present administration continues to have unexplained delays causing the citizens to become agitated and on edge, an issue which does not auger well in a true democracy.”
The groups also expressed concern about the illegal gun trade in the Caribbean and the public discussion of it.
Last Monday, groups members gathered at the Hyatt Regency for approximately two hours, hoping to get a chance to have the letter delivered to Dr Barnett but was prevented by security.
Kerr told AZP News on Friday that the head of security acted as a liaison for the group but without success.
He said the letter was sent via email but to date no response has been received and phone calls to the CARICOM Secretariat office in Turkeyen, Georgetown, Guyana were unanswered.
This coming Monday, the letter will be hand delivered to the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs office with the intention of it reaching its recipient in a timely manner, Kerr said.
He told AZP News a another letter will be sent to the Ministry of Finance and President Christine Kangaloo with the groups’ concerns about the expenditure of the series of CARICOM events especially as persons in the country were suffering financially.
