PNM public relations officer Faris Al-Rawi says he is not surprised the UNC is attempting to raise questions about the independence of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) with five days to go before the April 28 general election.
Al-Rawi, who is also PNM's San Fernando West candidate and the constituency's former MP, said it was another sign that desperation was growing within the UNC's ranks as election day gets closer.
He made the comments after the opening of the National Insurance Board's new south corporate office at Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando, on April 23.
In a statement, the UNC said the observers were told about alleged irregularities with respect to voting for special electors in the election."
"What we have witnessed since the start of the election season are a series of curious events and irregularities which are concentrated in marginal constituencies. These missteps by the EBC can be characterised as either incompetence or actuated by bias or perhaps even both. In any event, the failure of the EBC to train its officials properly has resulted in much inconvenience to the UNC's election campaign."
Al-Rawi said the UNC's claims were no surprise to him or the PNM.
"I noticed these garbled, nebulous statements about all sorts of foolish things. I'm no stranger to the UNC allegations."
He said, " I have fought many an election petition. I have been involved in one as a litigant and succeeded."
After the August 2020 election, the UNC filed election petitions against the PNM, questioning the results in several marginal constituencies, including San Fernando West.
All of the UNC's petitions were dismissed.
Al-Rawi said, "I am familiar with the UNC tactics - ramble, allege, gallery. There is no way that somebody could impugn our EBC."
Asked when the PNM would meet with the Caricom observer team and a Commonwealth observer team, which would also be in TT for the election, Al-Rawi said the party's central executive had the responsibility for that.
He repeated Prime Minister Stuart Young's assurances that the election would be free and fair.
Al-Rawi said the tactics which the UNC used in its meeting with the Caricom observers were being reflected elsewhere in the campaign, including in San Fernando West.
" I am seeing complete desperation at work."
He claimed, "There is up to $1,200 a person being paid. That is for mock programmes. It's really a method by which they pay money."
Al-Rawi said, "There is intimidation that is being tried, attempted. It's being resisted."
He also claimed his UNC rival Michael Dowlath had gone missing in action and that meant the party had gone into "dark mode" in its efforts to win San Fernando West.
Dowlath has denied claims the UNC is not running a clean campaign.
Al-Rawi said the PNM was taking no chances.
"We are 24 hours a day at work."
He said it was instructive the new NIB building was located in the San Fernando Waterfront which he had championed before he was first elected MP on September 7, 2015.
Al-Rawi reminded
