THE UNC on Thursday began screening candidates for the anticipated local government elections, for which no date has yet been named, said a party statement on Thursday evening, accompanied by photos of the event showing dozens of nominees, members of the screening committee, and the arrival of party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar

The statement said, "The United National Congress (UNC) has begun screening of the hundreds of nominees who filed nominations to represent the UNC as candidates at the upcoming local government elections as councillors and aldermen.

"Screening is currently taking place at UNC Headquarters in Chaguanas."

The event was initially announced in an earlier statement to media houses by UNC PRO Dr Kirk Meighoo.

UNC chairman Davendranath Tancoo had elaborated in a text message to Newsday in reply to queries.

"We start screening at the UNC headquarters in Chaguanas at 5 pm today with the Siparia Regional Corporation and Penal Debe Regional Corporation."

[caption id="attachment_1019191" align="alignnone" width="1024"] UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar greets a party supporter at the start of the UNC screening exercise on Thursday at Chaguanas. PHOTO COURTESY UNC -[/caption]

The UNC's announcement came amid speculation that the Prime Minister could name the election date at a PNM public rally later on Thursday night at Malabar.

The Privy Council on May 18 curbed the Government's effort to extend the life of existing councils and councillors by one year which was proposed a few months ago at a news briefing held by Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi.

The Privy Council said the elections must be held within three months of the date of its ruling, that is, by roughly mid-August In a three/two split decision the Privy Council supported an appeal against the TT Appeal Court by activist Ravi Balgobin-Maharaj. The Privy Council ruled that Parliament must not abrogate citizens' right to vote and that an extension of councillors' terms from three to four years could only apply to those elected in the future but not to incumbents, under the Miscellaneous Provisions (Local Government Reform) Act, 2022.

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