Dillon ready to serve again

POINT Fortin MP Edmund Dillon is confident he will be able to stand for re-election in this year's general election. Dillon, a former TT Defence Force chief of staff, is also Housing Minister.

Speaking to Newsday after a virtual Housing Development Corporation housing distribution ceremony on Tuesday, Dillon said, "I have put myself up again."

He added, "I always offer myself for service. after 36 years in Defence Force, I continue to serve the people of TT."

Dillon said he was screened on May 16. "No decision has been made as yet. I have not been informed about anything," he said. PNM officials on Tuesday confirmed that a Point Fortin candidate has not been chosen. One official said, "The screening committee has asked the constituency to look again."

A second official explained this meant the party's Point Fortin constituency executive has been asked "to bring forward new candidates." Dillon said he only knew about a young woman being screened apart from him.

Describing Point Fortin as "the constituency that I love," Dillon said he was privileged to have been MP for the last four years and eight months. He said he was able to satisfy some "long lasting demands" such as the construction of a new Point Fortin Hospital, upgrade the Mahaica Oval, building a new fire station and improving lighting in different parts of the constituency.

Dillon was hopeful the hospital will be opened in either June or July.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh last month said the construction of new hospitals has continued during the covid19 pandemic.

With phase two of the covid19 reopening strategy starting on Thursday, Dillon was optimistic that work on the hospital, the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin and other projects in the constituency will be accelerated.

In his speech at the HDC ceremony, Dillon believed the people of Point Fortin were satisfied with the levels of service they received over the last five years. He said they will continue to "receive the benefits of the Government and people of TT."

Before being appointed housing minister on August 6, 2018, Dillon served as national security minister from September 9, 2015 to August 5, 2018.