PNM chooses Rambharat for Chaguanas East

THE PNM has chosen its second candidate for the 2020 general election. Government senator and assistant general secretary Daniel Dookie will be contesting the Pointe-a-Pierre seat.

At a screening exercise on Thursday at the PNM’s regional office in Chaguanas, Rambharat – the lone nominee, having received nominations from all of the party groups in the constituency – gained the favour of the party’s screening committee.

The sitting Chaguanas East MP is the UNC's Fazal Karim, a former tertiary education minister in the People's Partnership administration.

In the 2015 general election Rambharat was beaten by the UNC's Rushton Paray for the Mayaro seat.

The party also screened nominees for the electoral districts within the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, ahead of the upcoming local government election.

The PNM screening exercise will continue on Monday at the Lower Malabar Community Centre. Nominees for the Arima Borough Corporation will be screened, along with new nominees for the outstanding electoral districts of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation.

On Tuesday, screening will take place at Balisier House for the outstanding electoral districts in the Port of Spain City Corporation. On that day, screening will also be held for a candidate for the Barataria/San Juan constituency for the general election.

Rambharat is the second PNM general election candidate selected, as on Wednesday evening government senator and assistant general secretary Daniel Dookie was successfully screened to contest the Pointe-a-Pierre seat.

Dookie, in a phone interview, told Newsday he is "very excited, very pleased and very honoured and grateful for the opportunity."

Asked how he felt the closure of Petrotrin will affect his campaign Dookie replied the issue is a very sensitive one.

"It has to be managed, as Government is managing it, with sensitivity, care and compassion."

He said Government made the right decision in the interest of the people.

On his campaigning in the constituency he said Pointe-a-Pierre is not new to him, as he fought the seat in 2002; he lost to the UNC's Gillian Lucky. Since then, he said, he has been an activist in the constituency and involved with the executive.

The Pointe-a-Pierre seat is currently held by UNC MP David Lee, who told Newsday yesterday he wished Dookie well and "time will tell." He said Dookie represents a party that has destroyed the home town of Marabella and put thousands on the breadline through the closure of Petrotrin.

"It is unfortunate they sent Mr Dookie to do their clean-up work. I wish him well."