An updated preliminary UNC membership list will be prepared by December 24 and constituencies will have until January 6 to lodge objections, Kelvin Ramnath, chairman of the party's membership committee said yesterday.
Party organiser Ramnath returned to Parliament last Friday–and was at the centre of UNC's preparations for its January election–from a three month absence dealing with a health issue associated with a leg injury. Ramnath said that as UNC party organiser, the job falls to his team to offer guidance on membership applications regarding the January 24, 2010, party election. He made it clear he was not involved 'hands-on' with the preparation of UNC's electoral list but was investigating all complaints. The Couva South MP said, "I'm in charge of the committee that reviews applications and not a single application has been rejected. Where there are queries we've told people to go back and check the situation." He said, "It's a difficult job especially when people try at the last minute to get their names on the list and some are supported by various candidates and MPs. But we're following the EBC's procedures." Ramnath said the only incident so far involved a woman who got angry on Monday and allegedly "misbehaved" while she was seeking 25 forms.
Ramnath said, "For accuracy of records, forms are sent to constituency offices and persons should access them there. In addition people may go to Rienzi Complex and fill in forms. Forms are now also available at my office at Couva South." He said UNC's official membership list now stands at 34,500. However he expects this will increase since approximately 5,000 membership application forms have so far been received.
"It was initially slow, but has picked up recently," he said, adding that memberships for 2006, 2007 and 2008 were currently being put on the system. He advised that the completed preliminary list will be given to all constituencies on January 2. Objections/corrections can be filed between January 3 and 6. These should all be returned to Ramnath's membership team by January 7.
The team will complete consideration of objections/corrections by January 11–UNC's Nomination Day, Ramnath added. Ramnath dismissed Chaguanas MP Jack Warner's claim that the list accounted for 130,000 members. He said the current list is based on UNC's 1995 membership and candidates were all aware of this and subscribed to that decision. Meanwhile, election committee chairman Kemchan Ramdath said yesterday that the team had circulated a manual and rules for the forthcoming election to all MPs, team co-ordinators and other participants. He said membership forms have been prepared for nominations to be submitted on Nomination Day–January 11 and that Election Day machinery is being prepared.