|
By
Gail Alexander
A new date may be considered for the PNM’s annual convention—initially
scheduled for June 28 and 29—since that date is the
same weekend as the busy St Peter’s Day celebrations
in Carenage, PNM officials confirm.
They spoke after Wednesday’s PNM central executive
meeting.
Noting that the convention was planned for Chaguaramas Convention
Centre, they cited heavy traffic flow through Carenage on
St Peter’s Day as the problem with the June 28-29 date.
“No
formal decision has been taken yet,” they added.
The situation should be finalised at PNM’s general
council meeting in San Fernando next Saturday, they added.
If the convention date was shifted, they projected, the
new date would either be before June 28-29 or shortly after.
In last Saturday’s TG Public Affairs column, PNM PRO
Jerry Narace had said the convention would be on June 28-29,
despite the St Peter’s celebrations.
However, other PNM executive officials said many in the
party had been considering the huge traffic problem that
the combination of the St Peter’s fete and the PNM
convention crowd could cause on the June 29 weekend.
“We
had a convention one year at the same time as St Peter’s
fete and we were locked bumper to bumper for hours on the
road to the Convention Centre, since it is only one way
in and out of Chaguaramas,” said a PNMite
“We
haven’t decided on a new date, but it seems June 28-29
may be out. General Council may decide,” a spokesman
added.
If the date is shifted it will be the second time.
Earlier this year, the convention date was June 7-8. This
was changed to June 28-29 to allow constituencies to complete
reports and unit elections.
Top of the convention agenda is election of a new PNM executive,
including the post of political leader held by Prime Minister
Patrick Manning.
Meanwhile, the Diego Martin West executive of sacked Minister
Keith Rowley may have to settle for making representations
on Rowley at next Saturday’s PNM general council meeting.
This was conceded yesterday by secretary of the executive,
Cornelius Lewis.
The unit launched a lobby for PNM to convene a special general
council to allow Rowley to clear his name on the sacking.
Members sent the proposal to the PNM last Friday, but there
has been no response.
After Wednesday’s central executive, PNM officials
said Diego Martin West was free to raise any issue at next
Saturday’s council.
Lewis responded: “We might have to wait until Saturday
then, and get our representatives to do so. We don’t
want to make any hasikara (sic).”
Only two of Diego Martin West’s three general council
representatives live in T&T.
Rowley, urged by colleague Ken Valley to fight Manning for
the leadership, has declined to say if he will accept the
challenge.
|
