The final voting list for People’s National Movement’s (PNM) May 18 internal poll has risen from 79,363 to 81,529, according to party’s elections commission vice-chairman Murchison Browne. Members of Pennelope Beckles-Robinson’s team are checking to see if their estimated 3,500 supporters have gotten on to the list. Beckles-Robinson is challenging the incumbent political leader Dr Keith Rowley for leadership of the party. Both are fielding candidates for the other executive positions being contested. Browne confirmed the total number of voters on the final voting list after the it was approved by the party’s general council last night. The deadline for the final list was April 30.
The preliminary list of 79,363 was approved by the Council on April 14 following which some officials claimed there were irregularities. In turn, some members of Team Penny claimed that approximately 7,000 of 8,000 supporters did not get on to the list. Team Penny members met with the elections commission last Thursday. Then, the deadline for bona fide members, those who became members by February 28, to lodge queries was extended from last week Friday to April 28. Team Penny’s NiLeung Hypolite said Tuesday the group had followed the instructions of commission members and made written representation for over 3,500 persons whose names were attached in the letter.
He said those people had applied on-line before the February 28 membership deadline and “for one reason or another may not have been on the preliminary list.” After yesterday’s council meeting, Browne told T&T Guardian the final list was now 81,529. He could not say if Team Penny’s supporters made it on to the list. Browne added: “What we can say is that those persons who are bona-fide members of the party and who followed the process would be the persons who got through.” He could not say what transpired in the case of Team Penny’s blanket representation for its 3,500 supporters. He said that group had been informed of the process. Contacted last night, Team Penny’s Ronald Boynes said he was unaware of the outcome of the situation and the council was meeting on the issue. He said as soon as the meeting ended, the team intended to check what occurred with the applications for its supporters. He estimated they numbered around 4,000. Boynes said he would have an idea of the position by today.