Attorney Kiel Taklalsingh, who is on Mayaro MP Rushton Paray’s slate for the UNC’s national executive elections, says he wants to let members decide whether his presence on the executive will assist the party in winning the next general election
“The unfortunate facts are that we’ve lost two general elections in a row,” he said when asked about his decision to contest UNC elections on June 15.
He is contesting the post of policy and strategy officer.
Tomorrow is nomination day for the internal elections and Paray’s slate will be vying for the 17 posts being contested. All the candidates will be revealed tomorrow when they present their nomination papers to the UNC’s election management team headed by attorney Darrell Alalhar.
The incumbent policy and strategy officer is Sean Sobers, who is also an attorney, and is tipped to contest the post again but didn’t answer calls for comment yesterday.
Taklalsingh is a UNC life member and said he has assisted the party as a lawyer in several ways, including preparing speaking notes for MPs, conducting legal aid clinics and representing activists and supporters in legal matters.
He said he was drawn to join forces with Paray and Tabaquite MP Anita Haynes-Alleyne, who are contesting the posts of deputy political leader, “because of their ideas and vision”.
Taklalsingh explained: “Rushton is a process engineer by profession and has articulated a methodical plan to reform the party and its arms while putting the needs and aspirations of the rank and file membership as a priority.
“Anita is young and articulate. She carries herself with grace but maintains ferocity in her professional debates.”
He added, “I think politics is about addition, not subtraction. We need all hands on deck. Everyone in our party has a role to play. The unfortunate facts are that we have lost two general elections in a row and I’ve decided to offer myself to the membership for them to decide if my presence on Natex would benefit the party and assist the UNC in winning the next election.”
Taklalsingh said he believes the post of policy and strategy officer is a good fit for him, as it deals with the formulation of policy, legislative and otherwise.
“For example, the UNC has advocated for stand your ground law to give owners a fighting chance to defend their homes and lives against criminals. As policy and strategy officer, I would prepare draft legislation and policy with consultation of our membership on issues such as that so when the UNC takes government it has a precedent bank and can hit the ground running to deliver these changes.”
He is also interested in the position as a means to re-engage the youth in politics.
“They’ve become alienated from the political process. In my discussions with them, they don’t care about slogans, catchphrases or theatrics on a political platform. They want to see and interrogate precisely what politicians would do if they voted for a particular political party. An effective policy and strategy arm of the UNC can achieve this and I think I have the skills to make this happen.”
Paray’s slate will officially be launched tomorrow at Signature Hall, Chaguanas. Their symbol is the praying hands (the namaste sign).
Sources said others on the slate include a former regional corporation chairman, a former treasurer and a south councillor, plus activists from San Fernando, east Trinidad and other districts.
The incumbents, most of whom are UNC frontline MPs, make up the Star slate which political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar led in the party’s 2020 and 2022 internal polls. Their campaign launch will be next Monday night at the Couva South Hall and as UNC frontline voices, they are expected to simultaneously campaign for the June 15 internal election and the June 17 by-elections in Lengua/Indian Walk and Quinam/Morne Diablo.