Opposition senators Wade Mark, Damian Lyder, and Jearlean John, all supporters of the Star Slate in the United National Congress’ internal elections, expressed confidence that regardless of the election’s results, the party will be united heading into the next general elections.
The trio spoke at the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union Hall, Wrighton Road polling station, yesterday afternoon.
UNC’s Deputy Political Leader John said Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar will find a way to unite the party despite concerns raised by members of the United Patriots slate about her leadership.
“The leader of the Opposition, as she is now for a brief moment, I’m sure will lead the UNC as a unified party going into the next general election. I have no doubt about that. It is her temperament. She’s a unifier, not a divider. She brings people together. That is what she is called to do. That is her attitude with everything that she does,” John said.
Opposition Senator Mark, who voted in St Joseph, described the party’s internal elections as a launchpad to remove the People’s National Movement Government from office.
He said that regardless of what has been said by members leading up to the internal elections, the party will be ready and united.
“We always have to bear in mind that it is one family. It’s the UNC family. Yes, we have contests. Yes, we have competition. That is part of the democratic spirit, and we welcome that. We feel that at the end of that process, we really have to bring all our colleagues together to work towards the common objective.
“This hurdle we are going to overcome sometime this evening into tomorrow when the results are finally announced. We have the task of really pulling the party together and working towards healing, and not only healing but working to bring all forces in our country that are diametrically opposed to the criminal conduct and gangster-type behaviour and the anti-people, anti-working class, and anti-labour policies practiced and committed by this government,” Mark said.
Senators Mark and Damian Lyder reported that while things started off slowly in the Diego Martin and Port-of-Spain constituencies, they picked up relatively well. However, they admitted that the areas were not traditional party strongholds.
Guardian Media observed a relatively low turnout of voters up until mid-afternoon at SWWTU Hall. Up until 1 pm, the constituencies of Port-of-Spain North and South had a turnout of 47 voters.
Former radio talk show host Garth Christopher was one of the voters in Port-of-Spain. Unlike the three senators, he voted for the United Patriots.
He said a vote for the Star slate was a vote for the PNM. “At the end of the day, it is time for change. There was a time for change for Mr Panday, and Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar led that change, and it is time for a change for Kamla, and Rushton Paray, Anita Haynes, and Kyle Taklalsingh are leading that change. That change is necessary, especially if we want to get into power,” he said.
Senator Lyder, who voted for Diego Martin, said the voting numbers in Diego Martin North East and West were impressive in comparison to the last internal election.
“From my time spent in Diego Martin this morning, it was a smooth process. There were no hiccups. We didn’t see any sort of problems within the system, so no complaints from either side.
“There was a good turnout, so that’s a good sign for the party. It’s a good sign for the United National Congress going into next year’s general election, unless it comes sooner … The UNC is alive and kicking. The UNC is the strongest party in this country today, and we are ready for the PNM,” Lyder said.
Around 1 pm in Diego Martin, Diego Martin West had 65 voters, Diego Martin North East 58, and Diego Martin Central 16 voters.