Political scientist and senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Dr Bishnu Ragoonath, is unsurprised by the recent switches within the United National Congress (UNC) as it continues to try to fill out its slate ahead of nomination day on April 4.
In a telephone interview, Ragoonath said he was not surprised by the shifts and admitted he expected to have seen it sooner.
"The UNC leadership has always said that they are going to try to bring about some degree of change, and the fact that they are going to try to pull up some of these people and put some new faces in, that's part and parcel of the process.
"Keith Rowley did it in 2015 and he brought in a whole set of new people. He also did it again in 2020 and brought in people. So every party would bring in new people at some point in time to ensure that they have continuity in the party so putting the young people, the young doctor in Naparima and the young doctor in Princes Town, those are simply expected changes that any political party would have to make as they move towards trying to win an election.
"The PNM did it up to 2020. This time they tried to stick with their people who they had put in there in 2015 and 2020, so they didn't put any new faces in, except for instance in Dr Rowley's seat, where again we see a young person coming on stream. That's about it."
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Ragoonath believes changing the faces in the so-called "safe seats" could help rebrand the UNC, or any party, as bringing something new to the table and could pay off even in the marginals.
"We know that in every marginal constituency over 35 per cent of the electorate doesn't vote. So in those constituencies, that non-voter portion of the electorate needs to be excited. One of the ways to excite those non-voters to come out and vote is to show on the flip side what you're willing to do with regards to your safe seats."
Ragoonath said parties are free to change up candidates, bring in new faces and fill empty spots on the slate up to nomination day. However, he believes not only was the party selecting candidates for some constituencies too late to allow for proper campaigning, but it could give the public the wrong impression about the party.
“The UNC started screening last year, they should have had all their candidates lined up and waiting to go once the election bell was rung. They are the ones who calling on the PNM all the time, 'Call the election, call the election, call the election.' Now that the PNM has called the election, it seems to give the impression you have been caught off-guard and you are still fighting to figure out who's going where, so that is an impression."
He added: "The question that begs then, thereafter, is simply how does the party reconcile the negative fallout that they were not prepared. Of course, they keep saying we making sure we choose the right people, this, that and the other, but that's just PR and damage control. The mere fact that the UNC has been the one calling for the election a year ago or two years ago and now seems to be floundering does not present the perspective that they are well-organised and well-oiled and so on."
Nomination day is on April 4, leaving the party about two days to name 15 candidates for the 39 seats it intends to contest under its coalition with the PEP, OWTU and LOVE Movement. As of press time on April 1, the party had not yet named candidates for Arima, Caroni Central, Chaguanas West, Claxton Bay, Couva North, Cumuto/Manzanilla, Diego Martin Central, Fyzabad, Laventille East/Morvant, Malabar/Mausica, Oropouche West, Port of Spain South, Siparia, St Ann's East and Tabaquite.
Ragoonath believes one possible explanation for these candidates remaining outstanding is that the party was focused on filling the marginals that could turn the outcome of the election.
"Probably the UNC is not going to put a lot of emphasis on those seats which they know they cannot win and those seats that they know that they have they're not going to worry about it and those seats which are marginal seats like the St Joseph and the San Fernando West and the San Juan/Barataria and the Chaguanas East and the Tunapuna, they made sure they had candidates for those seats because those seats they believe could make a difference in the election."
The NTA and Patriotic Front also do not have a full slate. The only party which does is the ruling PNM, which announced its prospective candidates days before Prime Minister Stuart Young called the election.
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NTA political leader Gary Griffith told Newsday the party has several people hoping to become candidates but was focusing on quality over quantity. Their screening, he said, would be completed soon. According to reports, the NTA would be contesting about 16 strategically selected seats. The party has 12 confirmed candidates so far.
Patriotic Front political leader Mikela Panday did not say when the party would present its remaining candidates but said it was putting everything in place for nomination day. The party has named 27 candidates so far, and intends to contest all 41 seats.
Over the long weekend, the UNC brought its election slate up to 24. However, it came with some switches, such as moving Barry Padarath from Princes Town to contest Couva South, booting incumbent Rudranath Indarsingh from the seat he had held since 2010. Dentist Dr Aiyna Ali would instead contest the Princes Town seat. Dr Narindra Roopnarine was selected to contest the Naparima seat after incumbent Rodney Charles bowed out of politics. Many were hoping former senator Jayanti Lutchmedial would be selected after screening for it. She was also denied the San Fernando West candidacy to educator Dr Michael Dowlath. Former Snr Supt Roger Alexander was announced to contest the currently PNM-held Tunapuna constituency. Nicholas Morris was selected to contest the Mayaro seat over incumbent Rushton Paray who has been labelled a dissident after raising issues about internal elections and challenging the political leader's preferred slate when it was held.
Newsday was unable to get a comment from UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the naming of the party's outstanding candidates.
