Members of the PNM must produce a 65 per cent voter turnout in the upcoming July 26 local government poll and not treat it as the traditional low-show election, PNM Senator Pennelope Beckles said on Monday.
"They feel because they (PP) won Arima on May 24 they will win the Borough of Arima and Port-of-Spain and Sangre Grande on July 26," Beckles said while addressing a PNM meeting in Arima. "The only way to prevent this is to come out in your thousands on July 26. Traditionally there is a 50 to 33 per cent turnout for local government polls but you need to have a 65 per cent turnout and send a message that you have faith in your leader and the PNM is strong and the Balisier is alive and well," Beckles added.
She said the July 26 poll was as important as a general election since the PP Government believed the upcoming poll had caught the PNM napping. She said she was happy to hear some Arima PNMites say they were "returning home" to the party. She added: "It is important that you don't desert your party in Opposition–that is the time to stand tall and send a message that you remain on principle and true to PNM in good times and bad, in Government or Opposition." Beckles said even though she was not selected as a general election candidate she remained loyal to the PNM.
With the way the People's Partnership was working, she said, it would not be long before PNM returned to the corridors of power. Beckles said while the PP Government was saying there was "no money" Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was in the US wooing investors to come to T&T on the basis of its healthy economy. Arima mayor Adrian Cabralis said Arima was PNM and "will always stay PNM." He added: "We must send a clear message across T&T that PNM is rejuvenated and will return to governance in T&T."