TRINIDAD-POLITICS-Opposition condemns manner in which proportional representation introduced

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) has described as “vulgar” the decision of the government to amend the Municipal Corporations Act to introduce the concept of proportional representation in Trinidad and Tobago. Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, announcing the October 21 date for the Local Government election, said that her administration plans to introduce the concept of proportional representation that has been advocated as a fairer and stronger system for several years. “The idea was that parties should have a slate of Senators that is known beforehand to the public at a general election. Seats in the Senate would be allocated in accordance with the number of votes cast for a party…. It will represent a historic foray into the virgin territory of proportionate representation which many feel, is an idea whose time has come.”