UNC general election nominees must be registered party members for at least one year and new sections will have to be filled out on nomination forms also, according to UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Speaking at the party’s Pavement Report on Monday, she said nomination forms will be available from next week Monday at the UNC headquarters, Chaguanas.
“Every registered member who’d been a member for over one year is entitled to collect one form and file a nomination. Our constitution is clear: you have to be a member for at least one year. Only then will you qualify to become a nominee for the general election.
“We’ve had a lot of inquiries for forms already, so we request you call first. The staff will give you an appointed date and time to collect.”
She said new sections must be filled out, so an officer must go through the forms with people, along with some other procedural issues and answering any questions.
“We’re allocating 15 minutes for everyone. Each day, the staff will receive 24 people by appointment. We’re requesting no walk-ins and entourages due to safety issues, we don’t need a ‘Carnival band’. We need to be serious, this is serious business,” Persad-Bissessar added.
“The staff has asked for these measures because when the office and yard are crowded, they cannot monitor what’s happening for everyone’s safety. So these are the safety measures: call, get an appointment, collect your form and sign in at the head office.
“You will not receive a form if you walk in without an appointment. This is important. Call HQ, and get the appointment, we do not need any J’Ouvert band converging on the headquarters. Go at the allotted time, ask any questions you want, collect your forms and file your nomination papers at the earliest opportunity.”
