Fake polling stations in Belmont East 2

MINISTER in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young yesterday said the PNM has asked the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to look into fake polling stations set up by another political party.

Speaking after PNM Belmont East candidate Nicole Madonna Young cast her vote at St Francis Girls RC Primary School at 9.15 am, Young said the matter was quite disturbing.

“What took place this morning that we have noted is the issue of mock stations which are fake polling stations, set up by the UNC party for information. We have had a couple of those in Belmont which is set up too close to the polling stations so we made the complaint to the EBC to address it.

When Newsday visited Belmont yesterday, voting was slow with only a trickle of mainly middle aged people turned up at various polling stations to cast their vote. At St Francis Girls RC Primary School, one of five polling stations in the Belmont East district, PNM candidate Young said she felt extremely confident and is looking forward to serve the people of Belmont East.

“I cannot say how the votes are going because it is too early in the day and people are still coming out to vote. Everything is going smoothly and this election is extremely significant because as a government we will be dealing with issues people face with on a daily basis,” Young said.

Also outside St Francis Girls RC, UNC candidate Lianna Trinka Babb-Gonzales said she is hopeful her opponents would work with her for the betterment of Belmont East and by extension TT.

“Even though I was told I will not reach 50 voters, we have surpassed 50 votes. People are still coming out and I am grateful and thankful to all the community members for coming out and things are seemingly looking up so far. The turnout and the process is also going smoothly,” Babb-Gonzales said.

At St Francis Boys’ College, Felicia Holder, the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) candidate said she felt confident and excited. “I have never seen so much attention being paid to a local by-election. It is really a tight race and we shall see what happens tonight. The reception is overwhelming. Let us see what Belmont East decides. So far, I have not heard of any discrepancies for the voting process.”

Asked if she is willing to work with other candidates if the results are not in her favour, Holder said the PEP has no intention of joining or forming any collation with any other political organisation.

“They called us small fry recently, we are here and contesting the local election and I am willing to work with citizens, but in terms of the PNM and UNC, I will have to say at this moment and until I can say differently, we are standing alone and working on our own.”