Lee, Ramdial hoping to face the polls

UNC MPs David Lee and Ramona Ramdial are confident they will get the nod to re-contest their respective Pointe-a-Pierre and Couva North seats. Lee has been Pointe-a-Pierre MP since September 7, 2015.

Ramdial has served as Couva North MP since May 24, 2010.

She held portfolios in the ministries of planning, environment and gender affairs at different times under the PP government from May 28, 2010, to June 17, 2015. Lee said he has filed his nomination papers but did not know if there are any other nominees for Pointe-a-Pierre.

Also a UNC deputy leader and a former UNC chairman, Lee said, “I have not been screened as yet but we will ensure proper (covid19) protocols will be in place (for screening).” He was confident of being chosen. Ramdial said, “A couple of months ago I filed (my nomination papers).” Like Lee, Ramdial was confident about recontesting Couva North but did not know of any other nominees for the constituency. She acknowledged that because of covid19, screening would be different than it has been in the past. One thing Ramdial did not foresee was “a grand mobilisation” of supporters on screening days, owing to the need for physical and social distancing to prevent the spread of covid19.

To date, the UNC has chosen Sean Sobers, Taharqa Obika, Michelle Benjamin and Kenya Charles as its candidates for San Fernando West, Pt Fortin, Moruga/Tableland and St Ann’s East, respectively. These constituencies are represented in Parliament by PNM MPs Faris Al-Rawi, Edmund Dillon, Dr Lovell Francis and Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, respectively.

Last August, UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced that nominations for all 41 constituencies were open. Nominations closed in February.

On Monday, she said screenings had begun before the covid19 stay-at-home measures were implemented and screenings would take place on Tuesday. She said some candidates had already been announced and the UNC would continue to do so in days to come.