MSJ: No victimisation on nomination day

MSJ political leader David Abdulah has said there was no victimisation of MSJ candidates on Monday, nomination day. At a media conference, he clarified a statement from the party on Monday which said its candidates had faced “severe victimisation.”

Abdulah said the statement had been incorrectly crafted and should have read that workers in the CEPEP and URP workers were facing victimisation for exercising their democratic right to support the political party of their choice.

He explained, “The body of the media release stated that all of our candidates were successfully nominated but in identifying the topic of today’s media conference, the press release referred to victimisation.

"So I want specify there was no victimisation in the nomination exercise yesterday.”He said the party had received several reports from people working at the Diego Martin Regional Corporation and the Siparia Regional Corporation who were being told they must attend PNM activities or lose their jobs.

“They are being told if they don’t attend those activities, be it walkabouts, that they will no longer have a job.” He alleged that one person had been fired by a CEPEP contractor employed by the Siparia corporation for not taking part in a PNM campaign activity.

“This is absolutely wrong. It’s an abuse of state power and an exploitation of workers.”

He said the Prime Minister must state the party’s position on the issue. He also called on the Coun­cil for Re­spon­si­ble Po­lit­i­cal Be­hav­iour to “ensure that the parties that are signatories to the code of conduct, that they adhere to the code.” The MSJ is fielding 26 candidates in six corporations: Point Fortin; Siparia; San Fernando; Princes Town; San Juan/ Laventille; and Diego Martin.

Asked about a prior announcement that it would contest all 139 electoral districts, Abdulah said this is a "resource issue,” and the party did not have the funding to contest all districts.