One of the three candidates who contested for leadership of the Public Services Association (PSA) in yesterday’s elections, says the lack of ballot papers at two polling stations may have hurt his chances of winning.
Speaking with Guardian Media, leader of team United Public Officers Oral Saunders said the lack of ballot papers at the Penal and Princes Town polling stations solidified his previous call for the elections to be supervised by the Elections and Boundaries Commission.
“We would have said that an election of this magnitude deserves to be run by persons who are competent, persons who are experienced, and in our opinion, persons who have a neutral approach to this election. Hence the reason why we would have recommended, myself personally and others in the general council, we would have recommended that the EBC be charged with the responsibility of conducting this election,” he said.
He added, “I am being bombarded by calls across Trinidad and more so South of irregularities and even with polling agents stating things at polling stations that should be of grave concern to the democracy of the PSA. I am saying for the national public and more so PSA members, this is an election that was far from fair.”
Incumbent PSA leader Leroy Baptiste did not contest the election.
However, incumbent first vice-president Felisha Thomas, who leads team Sacrosanct, said the issues Saunders highlighted were not affecting his supporters only, as he suggested.
Thomas said she was preparing to lead the union for some time, having spent almost two terms on the executive. Asked about her plans for the union, should she win, Thomas said an “absolute total fight” for workers.
“Workers have not been treated as they ought to. We are all familiar with the four per cent, it is something that we’ve all been fighting for. My position is that workers deserve a living wage, and should I be elected that is what I will be advancing on behalf of my membership.”
Third contender Nixon Callender, who leads Team Sentinel, said his first call, should he win, will be to settle all negotiations, but did not say if this meant accepting the four per cent offer when asked. He said he would “summon” CPO Dr Daryl Dindial and resume negotiations.
“We will be negotiating again. What we saw happen there, previously, there was no negotiations there. It was simply the CPO did not know who was sitting down in front of him. They didn’t know if it was a politician or if it was a trade unionist. With the change in the administration, we would be going to the CPO as the recognised majority union and nothing else,” Callender said.
All three expressed a strong belief in their chances of winning the majority vote of some 10,000 eligible voters. Asked what their plans are, should they lose, both Callender and Saunders warned it would be a dark day for the PSA, while Thomas said she would accept the decision and move on.