Tabaquite MP Anita Haynes-Alleyne said she supports the call for internal elections in the United National Congress.
But the senior UNC member is stressing that calling for the internal election is not the same as supporting Mayaro MP Rushton Paray or going against political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Speaking on The Morning Brew this morning, Haynes-Alleyne said internal elections are about putting forward the best candidates chosen by the party to contest the general election.
"I saw a number of press releases coming from my colleagues saying that they support Mrs. Prasad-Bissessar. I support Mrs. Persad-Bissessar because she is the duly elected political leader of the United National Congress," Haynes said. "But to use any position you have currently on your executive, that you would have benefited from an internal election to hold that position, to use that space and now say that internal elections are unnecessary, unwarranted, or prevents us from winning a general election when it's called. I think all of those things, that's a misuse of the space that you hold. "
She said even if the general election is called early, the United National Congress should be seen as been resilient enough to survive both an internal election and a general election. She said the party should not be afraid of the internal processes since it should show strength within the party.
"The best way to show that you support Mrs. Persad-Bissessar is to also call for the internal election so that you can support her with your vote, supporting her with a press release is inconsequential, the best way to show your support for a political entity is to be able to vote for them," Haynes-Alleyne said.
She said an internal election can only seek to invigorate and create a political discourse that will take the party into the future. She said she found it difficult to disagree with Mayaro MP Rushton Paray who's been leading the call for internal elections.
Haynes-Alleyne has often been described as one of the stronger young voices within the party. She was asked by TMB host Jason Williams if she felt speaking out this way would hurt her politically. She said she was using her voice for good, positive changes in her own institution as well as for the nation.
"I took up my role as a young politician not to sit here and just become an old politician," she said. "I believe there's a space to do very good work for national development."