Copies of a final list of potential voters, numbering 95,244, were distributed yesterday to the three different slates and independent candidates contesting the December 5 internal elections of the United National Congress (UNC).
The three slates–Team Reconnect led by Vasant Bharath, Team UNC led by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and UNC Loyalists led by Dr Roodal Moonilal–spent the day yesterday going through the list.
Bharath and Moonilal earlier had concerns about the list, claiming their names and those of people on their slates were omitted.There were also concerns about people who were not UNC members applying for membership.Bharath yesterday said his name had since been reinstated.
"My name and Dr Fuad Khan's were apparently on a master list which we had not earlier seen but we have been reinstated," he said.
Asked if he had problems with the final list, he said: "We are trawling through the list today to check the names. There were people who were claiming to be UNC members and we want to see if their names are on the list or not."
Moonilal has been repeatedly complaining about the veracity of the list, as well, but could not be reached yesterday.
Francis Joseph, former adviser to Persad-Bissessar when she was prime minister, now on Moonilal's team, said they got the list yesterday and were still going through it.
UNC founder Basdeo Panday had declined offers from Moonilal and Bharath to join their slates charging the party's elections would be rigged.He said the same people conducting the elections were the same ones contesting it.
UNC elections management officer, Dr Rampersad Parasram, said the names of both Khan and his wife, Dr Carol Bhagan-Khan, were on the list, as well as others who said they were omitted.He said he did not know from where the claims came.
Parasram said agents of the different slates and the independents collected copies of the final membership list on Tuesday night and yesterday morning.He said new people had applied for membership and were processed. He said they did not have a lot of new members.
"Up to this point, we have not had any official complaints or any issues raised," he added.
Parasram said he was unable to give the T&T Guardian a copy of the final list of all the candidates yesterday because it was the final day for withdrawal.
"One person actually withdrew," Parasram said, but did not provide details.