Shane Superville
Senior Reporter
shane.superville@guardian.co.tt
There was little activity at the UNC’s Chaguanas Headquarters yesterday as the party’s internal elections nomination came to a close.
Guardian Media was told that several candidates discreetly filed their nomination papers on Friday, well before yesterday’s 4 pm deadline.
Guardian Media also tried contacting several candidates to ask when they would be filing their nomination papers; however, calls to Roodal Moonilal, Khadijah Ameen, and Rushton Paray went unanswered.
Jearlean John said she would not be coming to the party’s headquarters but did not say whether nomination papers were filed on her behalf.
When contacted on Wednesday, John also did not disclose what her role in the party would be.
While gates opened at 8 am, Robert Amar, the first candidate of the day, arrived just before 1 pm to file his nomination papers for deputy political leader.
Speaking with reporters after submitting his documents, Amar said he was contesting the Deputy Political Leader post as an independent candidate as it allowed for greater transparency and accountability.
He added that he did not feel disadvantaged as an independent candidate, noting that there were members of the party who wanted a difference in what was being offered.
“It’s what the people want. Do you want justification in guidance with experience or do you just want to be following the leader,” he said.
“Whether it happens or doesn’t happen is about the membership.
“They are three deputy political leaders I understand are going up, and I am one of the three.”
Amar added, “I think I can bring real guidance to not only the institution but to the issues that are demanded by the public.”
If confirmed as a candidate, Amar will be competing against Mayaro MP Rushton Paray for the post of deputy political leader.
Amar also ran for deputy political leader in the party’s 2020 internal elections, receiving 1,249 votes.
Guardian Media also spoke to Darrell Allahar, chairman of the Election Management Committee (EMC), who said the rules used in this year’s internal elections were generally the same as those used in previous years.
While he did not disclose the exact number of nominations received, Allahar said “quite a few” files were received.
Responding to criticism from former UNC minister Vasant Bharath over the legitimacy of the elections, Allahar said it was unfortunate and asked the public to judge the committee based on their work.
“Elections are necessarily combative and adversarial. The committee is the body responsible for conducting them in a fair manner, and I don’t think it will be proper to comment on anyone’s comments like that because we don’t wish to descend into the arena.”
Allahar also stressed the independence of the committee as a non-partisan entity in the election.
“We are answerable to no one, and we are answerable to the rules we have made and the party’s constitution.
“I am answerable to my wife.”
The EMC, Allahar said, is responsible for making the election’s rules and conducting the process as an independent third party.