UNC to start local govt screening Thursday

The United National Congress is expected to begin screening for the local government elections from July 11 at its regional offices in El Dorado.In a brief telephone interview yesterday, party chairman Peter Kanhai also commented on the Prime Minister’s statement that local government elections will be held later this the year.At a screening on Sunday evening at the PNM’s south regional office, Navet Road, San Fernando, the Prime Minister said a date has already been set but refused to divulge it, saying, “It will be made available very soon.”Asked about the PM’s statement, Kanhai said, “We have heard comments from the Prime Minister before and we will wait to see if he will call the elections when it is due but the United National Congress is readying itself to contest any election.

“We are due to begin our screening process on Thursday of this week. We will be screening over 400 nominees for the 14 municipalities.”He said the screening would begin at the party’s El Dorado regional office, where candidates for the Sangre Grande and Tunapuna regional corporations will be screened.Kanhai said this would then continue at various locations until the party has a complete list of candidates for each corporation. He was unable to say whether incumbent councillors had submitted their nomination papers, but said this was a distinct possibility, as over 400 people had submitted their nominations.