Parties confident for July 16

WITH just a few days to go, United National Congress (UNC), People’s National Movement (PNM), and Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) parties are confident that they will win the by-elections in Belmont East and Barataria next Monday.

However, voters in both districts remain tight-lipped over who they will vote for – or if they will vote at all. The by-elections are taking place because the Barataria and Belmont East seats became vacant after the deaths of PNM councillors Pernell Bruno and Darryl Rajpaul, last June and November respectively.

UNC deputy leader Khadijah Ameen said she has walked with the party’s Barataria candidate Sharon Maraj-Dharam and is pleased with the response Maraj-Dharam received. The result in Barataria could send a message to the government, she said.

KEEP IT CLEAN

Claiming that PNM posters are being placed over UNC ones, Ameen appealed to all parties to keep the campaign clean. “Let’s nip it in the bud.”

Anthony Skeete, campaign manager for the UNC’s Liana Babb-Gonzales, said Belmont residents have been responding positively to her, adding that the UNC needed to be sure it “has the numbers” to ensure Babb-Gonzales wins next week. He said a lot of people in Belmont East are not registered to vote.

PEP public relations officer Janice Learmond-Criqui said the party’s campaign is different from those of the PNM and UNC. “We are into educating the people.”

In addition to interacting with people on the ground, Learmond-Criqui said the party’s candidates Felicia Holder (Belmont East) and Christoph Samlal (Barataria) have been making the rounds on national radio and television.

“People are fed up. People are tired,” she said, hinting that the public could see “a pleasant surprise” when the votes are counted next Monday. The PEP will use next week’s by-election experience to prepare for local government elections in 2019 and the general election in 2020, she said.

POSITIVE FEEDBACK

PNM alderman Wade Coker, campaign manager for PNM Belmont East candidate Nicole Young, said Young is getting “positive feedback” from residents, who are eager to meet her. Coker said Young’s appeal as a young person and someone who grew up in the community is bringing out supporters, and claimed the UNC is “bringing people out of Belmont” to campaign for its candidate, Babb-Gonzales. Coker said the PNM is unfazed by this and pressing on with its campaign.

PNM co-ordinator for both Belmont East and Barataria Alisha Romano said the party’s campaigns in both districts were going well, and both Young and Barataria candidate Kimberly Small have been doing the groundwork ahead of next week’s polls. “We are ready.”

On the PNM’s chances in Barataria, Romano said there has been excellent feedback on Small in all 17 polling divisions in the district, including areas known to support the UNC.

Romano and Coker said the PNM will step up its campaign with a public meeting at St Francois Girls’ College at 7 pm tomorrow, when the Prime Minister will deliver the feature address. Romano said there will be a motorcade through Belmont East and Barataria on Saturday. Coker said Sunday will be a day of prayer before the by-elections on Monday.