The PNM claims that a recent decision to establish a Cabinet-appointed committee to review of municipal boundaries is an attempt to interfere with the electoral landscape ahead of Local Government elections.
In a media release on February 1, the PNM stated that the move constitutes “a clear and present threat to democracy in Trinidad and Tobago.”
“The UNC’s recent decision to establish a Cabinet-appointed committee to review municipal boundaries is a thinly-veiled attempt to interfere with the electoral landscape under the guise of administrative reform,” the PNM stated.
“This initiative encroaches on the constitutional role of the Elections and Boundaries Commission and raises serious concerns about political manipulation of electoral districts to entrench the ruling party,” the PNM statement continued.
The PNM stated that as Local Government elections approach, is is cautioning its members and the national community not to assume that it will be fought on existing boundaries.
“Vigilance, preparation, and resistance to political overreach are now essential. The integrity of our electoral system must be defended. Boundary-setting must never become a political tool, and the PNM will not remain silent while democratic safeguards are placed at risk,” it stated.
The PNM and UNC both won seven of the 14 Municipal Corporations in Trinidad and Tobago, but the UNC took 52.51% of the votes in the elections.
