THE "POLITICAL HIT PIECES" JUST KEEP ROLLING IN PEEP THIS CA-CA NEZ NAH BOI. SOME PPL DIGGING THEIR PLOT IN THE POLITICAL PONTIFICATORS CEMETERY
FROM NEWSAUCE FACEBOOK PAGE
WARNING: FOR THE SENSITIVE FOLKS AMONG US THIS POST MAY CONTAIN LEAKS (but no Cabinet Notes or Proclamations).
As with all structured political parties, the PNM conducts polls on a regular basis especially heading into elections. To get a sense of which seats are in trouble, which MPs are seen as weak, which marginals may need more. focus and how confident voters feel about the various political leaders.In 2024 at least two polls were conducted and both polls, I am told, revealed that one MP in the field of candidates remained consistently first as the choice to lead and at each polling her lead grew wider and wider, so much so, the other candidates were distant second and third place holders.
The cancelling of the 2024 Annual Convention then threw a spoke in the wheel of the party's planning. And with that cancellation all possibilities of having a vote for a PL in the 2025 election went out the window.
The assumption then was that the current PL would continue to lead the party into the 2025 GE. That belief held until December.
The next internals was due in 2026 anyway. And that election would allow the full membership to have its say and allow ALL interested candidates to throw their hat in the ring and explain to voters why they are the best person to lead the party.
Now we come to the Tobago retreat. A straw poll was taken to gauge support of two MPs seen as possible leaders. Two candidates were named: one who had been polling well internally and one who was less successful.
Members at the retreat were given the assurance that the poll results were not to be made public. The information was only for the President, in case she asked the PM, upon his resignation, who the party would favour.
Only one person saw and counted the ballots. And immediately after the ballots were read out and counted they were shredded. There was no recount and no third person was able to see the ballots.
No one thought this strange because they had beem assured this was a straw poll that only the President was likely to hear about.
Then right after the poll was done, there came a press conference announcing the results to everyone. Running counter to what was said and agreed to.
Based on Section 76 (1) A of our Constitution, the PM has to be the leader of the political party that won the election.
Based on section 76 (1) B an MP can be PM if he or she commands the majority of the votes of the Lower House.
That MP would need 21 votes. Hence the current need for all signatures.
Based on that same Constitution that ppl fraid to discuss right now, the PL and the PM are seen as one and the same person.
It remains to be seen how a party campaigns with both a PL and a PM being separate persons.
Today's General Council Meeting is very important, not just for the party, but for the entire country.
Today's meeting will establish for us whether we ALL get to vote openly for our leaders or we have our leaders handpicked for us in a straw poll.
[EDIT: Screenshot of Sec 76 (1) A and B added for greater context.]LEAK SEALED
SCREEN GRAB OF THE POST QUOUTED ABOVE
