Ford: No PNM PM needed General Council’s nod

News

FORMER Arima mayor/MP Ashton Ford said Energy Minister Stuart Young has ample precedent to become prime minister with just the support of fellow MPs and without any input from the PNM General Council, speaking to Newsday on January 9. He cited former prime ministers George Chambers, Patrick Manning and Dr Keith Rowley.

While Young edged Planning Minister Pennelope Beckles 11/nine in a poll of PNM MPs at a Tobago retreat held by the Prime Minister, since then, some MPs indicated they wished the general council to meet before giving their signature to a list being compiled by PNM Lady Vice Chairman, Housing Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, to submit to the President to nominate a new prime minister. The General Council meets on January 11 at Balisier House, Port of Spain.

The PNM Central Executive – made up of the party's elected officials – was due to meet on January 9.

Ford said when Dr Eric Williams died in 1981, the very next day President Sir Ellis Clarke announced George Chambers as new prime minister, after a mere consultation with then party chairman Francis "Boysie" Prevatt. Secondly, he said at the PNM's defeat in the 1986 general elections in a NAR landslide, the three surviving MPS – Muriel Donawa-Mc Davidson, Morris Marshall and Manning – met and named Manning as opposition leader, a procedure that Ford likened to naming a prime minister.

Thirdly, Dr Rowley was appointed unopposed as opposition leader after the PNM lost the 2010 general election under Manning, and only after did the party hold a convention.

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Ford said after MPs in Tobago had pledged to abide by a majority decision and then voted 11/nine in favour of Young, he now found it quite strange that some MPs were singing a different tune. "Now, with the intervention of all these commentators, they (some MPs) want a general council meeting."

In wonder, he said MPs were supposed to be honourable people.

Newsday asked if the General Council had any legal authority, or if not then any moral authority, in the choice of a new PM.

Ford replied, "No. But it is a matter of principle that they go in there to get the support of the General Council. It is the first time.

"It is a matter of courtesy to get the blessings of the General Council. All those people who are pushing, you are satisfying them.

"My position is that if they are honourable men (and women), they should never retract on the promise made that they would support whoever comes out with the most votes."

Newsday asked about reports of dissident MPs backtracking on their pledge owing to them receiving fresh news of Rowley set to attend a Caricom meeting in February and so not stepping down immediately and therefore allowing more breathing space for the selection process of a new PM.

Ford dismissed, "That is all trivialities."

While the TT Constitution says it is for MPs to decide the PM, Newsday asked if the PNM General Council has any powers of moral suasion in the matter.

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Ford said, "We have to wait and see because this is the first time we are seeing this.

"The council functions in accordance with the party's constitution. They could meet at any time and discuss anything in the PNM."

Newsday asked if the creature that was the General Council, plus its myriad of personalities, was likely to seek to take on a role of exerting some sort of moral authority in the choosing of a PM.

Ford replied, "I don't think it is likely."

He said PNM MPs were deemed honourable people who sat and took a decision for all to support whoever got the most votes in Tobago.

"We, as a party, were expecting these honourable members to keep their word. It comes as a little bit of a surprise to hear them clamouring for this General Council to reverse the decision.

"If Dr Rowley had insisted they sign there and then, all of this would not have happened."

Did Rowley err in not getting the signatures in Tobago?

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"I don't know if it is a mistake or what. It is trust. Dr Rowley trusted his honourable members and that is what happened, when you trust people."

Newsday asked if the physical isolation of the retreat plus Rowley's forcefulness had persuaded MPs, but who changed their minds on returning to Trinidad.

Ford said, "He did not force anybody. I spoke with some of the members and all of them said nobody forced them to make any decision."

Newsday said that if MPs knew beforehand that Rowley had made up his mind to support his choice of Young and they were then isolated at a retreat, might they have felt browbeaten by Rowley, but later on opt to change their minds when away from the pressure?

Ford said, "No, no, no, no. I worked with Dr Rowley for seven years. He can be explosive at times and very calm at times, but at the end of the day he never holds a grudge.

"If you notice the amount of people who were against him but are now in Cabinet and now serving in high positions all over the world.

"Penny Beckles fought him in 2014 and by 2015 after the election she was the ambassador to the USA. There are several other instances."

Ford made the point that he was from Arima and would have supported Beckles in the recent vote by MPs to choose a PM but after an agreement to abide by the majority decision, he was now supporting Young.

Asked his hope for the General Council meeting, he said, "I hope good sense prevails and they will put party before personal agenda."

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Later that day, the PNM Central Executive met at Balisier House. From 5.30-8.30 pm, reporters held a stake-out, trying to get comments as elected official began streaming out. Rowley left at 6.24 pm, ignoring reporters, thereby largely setting a precedent for other council members.

Later as remaining members left, among them the two prime ministerial contenders – Young and Beckles – had a kiss and hug in a public display of party solidarity before the media lenses. Minister of Youth Development said "No comment tonight." Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales wished reporters a Happy New Year.

Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi briefly told reporters, "All good. Catch you all later."

Young back-patted Toco/Sangre Grande MP Roger Monroe, hugged Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and had a few words with Cummings, giving him a brotherly hug.

Minutes earlier, Labour Relations Officer Jennifer Baptiste-Primus spoke to reporters.

"It was a very constructive meeting." Asked if the meeting met her satisfaction, she said that because of subjective conditions, one must always be reasonable.

She said the party's legislative caucus might have impacted on the central executive meeting but did not because was still under way.

"So it was agreed that whatever issues and concerns will be raised at the General Council on Saturday, God willing."

Asked what the General council might debate, she said, "I cannot contemplate what the General Council is likely to do.

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"People have concerns and we will raise those concerns at General Council and I am quite sure one way or the other a decision would result on Saturday."

Asked of these concerns, she replied, "That whoever leads this party must be elected by the membership, through the one-man, one-vote system.

"So gentlemen and ladies, there isn't much more I can give you. I know you all have been out here for a long time."