COP interim leader: Room for third parties

INTERIM Congress of the People (COP) leader Kirt Sinnette believes that despite the result of last week’s general election, there remains room for third parties to play a role in TT’s politics.

The COP contested four seats (St Augustine, Laventille West, Couva North, Diego Martin North/East) in last week’s election and lost in all of them.

The PNM won the election, defeating the UNC 22-19.

Sinnette was appointed interim leader over the weekend, after Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan resigned as COP leader on August 12. Sinnette and Seepersad-Bachan lost in the Laventille West and St Augustine seats respectively. On Monday, Sinnette said, “A third party will always have a role in the politics of TT.”

He said one has to “take into consideration what is happening in the UNC at this point in time.”

Since last Monday’s election, there have been a plethora of calls from party members and others for UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to resign. UNC PRO and Tabaquite-elect MP Anita Haynes said the party retains confidence in Persad-Bissessar and sees no reason for her to resign. On the other side of the political divide, Sinnette said PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley indicated that this next five-year term could be his last in politics. Against this background, Sinnette said, “I still think there are lots of room for third parties to be part of the political system.”

The election result showed him, he said, that many people do not understand the power of their vote.

“My position is that the people need to be educated about why they vote. At the end of the day, it is not about voting for a party, it is about voting for representation.”

Sinnette said his role as interim leader would be to help guide the COP through the “difficult times” of the post-election period as it charts the way forward. While the political leader is to be determined in December, Sinnette said consideration will also be given as to whether elections should be held for other posts on the party’s executive at that time.

Sinnette said he takes a consultative approach towards leadership and is supported by a powerful team. He added that Seepersad-Bachan is part of that team. He was unable to say whether or not the COP would contest by-elections to be held in Point Fortin, Arima and Diego Martin and Chaguanas.

These by-elections will be held on account of councillors Kennedy Richards Jr, Lisa Morris-Julian, Symon de Nobriga and Vandana Mohit all being elected MPs. Richards , Morris-Julian and de Nobriga were elected as MPs for Point Fortin, D’Abadie O’Meara and Diego Martin Central respectively.

Richards Jr and Morris-Julien were formerly the respective mayors of Point Fortin and Arima. Diego Martin Central MP-elect de Nobriga was Diego Martin Regional Corporation chairman. Mohit, now Chaguanas East MP-elect, was Chaguanas mayor before the election.