Lezama screens for Lopinot/Bon Air West, Dillon still on hold

PNM PRO Laurel Lezama on Thursday was screened to be PNM candidate for Lopinot/Bon Air West in the upcoming general election, with two or three others.

At Queens Hall, PNM general secretary Foster Cummings told reporters the nominees included Lezama and Gervon Abraham. A middle-aged female nominee declined to give reporters her name.

In line with covid19 limits on gatherings, nominees were first screened by part of the screening committee at Balisier House and then at Queens Hall by another part of the committee chaired by the Prime Minister and including Rohan Sinanan, Fitzgerald Hinds, Colm Imbert and Camille Robinson-Regis.

Lezama is daughter-in-law of radio station owner Louis Lee Sing and wife of TT Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) president Daren Lee Sing. In 2010 she was PNM candidate for Arima which the PP’s Rodger Samuel won.

With Lopinot/Bon Air West MP, Planning Minister Cherrie Ann Crichlow-Cockburn, bowing out, the screening committee last week Tuesday met several nominees but then instructed the constituency executive to widen its search. Those screened had been constituency chairman Rudolph Boneo, constituency secretary Carver Richardson, former councillor Tova Lin Sandy, former senator Alisha Romano and former minister Alicia Hospedales.

Meanwhile the status of cricketer Mervyn Dillon as PNM prospective candidate for Toco/Sangre Grande seat in the upcoming general elections remained on hold, as Lezama earlier on Thursday told Newsday the screening committee has instructed the Toco/Sangre Grande constituency executive to “widen its search” for nominees for the key marginal.

The committee had initially chosen Dillon in place of incumbent MP, Ministry of National Security parliamentary secretary Glenda Jennings-Smith.

Lezama also told Newsday the screening committee had given the La Brea constituency executive a further extension to look for fresh nominees. Lezama said the screening of La Brea nominees has been put off from Thursday to next week. Those screened so far include incumbent MP and former Energy Minister Nicole Olivierre and former public utilities minister Robert Le Hunte.