By Sue-Ann Wayow

THE Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) is yet to receive confirmation from Prime Minister Stuart Young regarding the presence of international election observers.

This is according to the United National Congress (UNC) after some of its members met with the EBC on Monday.

The UNC in a press release stated, “Despite the significance of the discussions, the UNC emerged deeply concerned and dissatisfied with the status of two major election integrity issues that remain unresolved.”

First issue was the issue of the election observers.

The release stated, “The UNC is alarmed by the EBC’s revelation that it has received no confirmation from the Prime Minister’s Office or any other state authority regarding the presence of international election observers.

“This is in direct contradiction to public statements made by selected Prime Minister Stuart Young on  March 20, when he claimed that invitations had been sent to the Commonwealth Secretariat and were going to be sent to the Carter Center.

“This is unacceptable. Election observation by impartial international bodies is a standard democratic safeguard, especially in a context where public confidence in the electoral process must be protected and upheld.”

The UNC said it will pursue this matter urgently, including direct engagement with international bodies and diplomatic missions if necessary.

The second issue is that returning officers were irreplaceable.

“An even more troubling concern was the EBC’s stated inability to replace or discipline Returning Officers, even in the face of legitimate complaints and evidence of misbehaviour or bias,” the party stated.

It raised three situations:

1)The Returning Officer’s irregular and burdensome requirements for Vandana Mohit, UNC candidate for Chaguanas East, which were not demanded from other candidates.

2)The biased and discriminatory treatment of UNC candidate Barry Padarath in Couva South, where the Returning Officer’s misconduct was reported to the EBC.

3)The Tunapuna Returning Officer’s omission of candidate Roger Alexander’s name from the receipt for his nomination fee/deposit, which could have led to his nomination being declared invalid, echoing previous incidents—such as the 2023 Local Government Election, where a UNC-won seat was nullified due to a failure by an EBC official to sign a ballot.

The UNC requested that the Returning Officer in Couva South be replaced, due to the party’s lack of confidence in the Officer’s impartiality.

The EBC responded that the appointment or removal of Returning Officers was not within their power, and lied solely with the President, the release stated.

However, UNC questioned the President’s impartiality given her political history with the People’s National Movement (PNM).

“The UNC will pursue every lawful and political avenue to ensure that an unbiased officer is appointed,” the release stated.

The UNC stated, “Returning Officers are the final authority on Election Day, charged with conducting the vote in their constituencies. It is unacceptable that a mechanism does not exist within the EBC itself to ensure their accountability.

“That the EBC must wait on the Office of the President to act on issues of misconduct by such crucial officials undermines public trust in the process.”

The UNC also raised concerns with the EBC over the relocation of polling divisions and stations in the marginal constituency of St. Joseph.

Legal letters are currently being drafted to pursue these concerns.

The release stated, “The UNC is committed to ensuring free, fair, and credible elections in Trinidad and Tobago. We will not allow unresolved concerns, conflicting statements, or bureaucratic silence to jeopardise the future of our democracy.

“We call on the public, civil society, media, and democratic institutions to join us in demanding transparency, accountability, and action because what’s at stake is nothing less than the integrity of our electoral system.”