UNC names five more candidates

THE main competitors for the 2020 election race have all but one been selected and many of them have already bolted from the starting line, braving inclement weather, a blanket of Sahara dust, to win over undecided voters and die-hard supporters across the country.

In the past couple of weeks, confirmed candidates, most wearing masks, have been canvassing for votes in small groups in keeping with the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of covid19 and have been busy on their keyboards using social media to garner support.

While the incumbent, the PNM, has already unveiled 40 of its candidates to contest the polls, with the exception of La Brea, the Opposition on Saturday announced five additional candidates and intends to roll out the names of the remaining 23 in the coming days.

They are Opposition senator Saddam Hosein (San Juan/Barataria), Dinesh Rambally (Chaguanas West), Flora Singh (Arima), Maurice Hoyte (D’Abadie/O’Meara) and Nabila Greene (Toco/Sangre Grande).

Hosein, an attorney, steps in to fill the vacancy of incumbent MP Dr Fuad Khan and is the only candidate named among the five with active political experience at a national level.

According to a statement from the party, Singh served as a local government representative for the Arima West/O’Meara district between 2010-2013; Rambally, the son of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha president general pundit Krishna Rambally, is one of the attorneys for the Hindu religious organisation as well as the National Council for Indian Culture and has served as a member of the Industrial Court; Greene, 29, is the youth officer of the Grand Riviere Village Council and president of the Toco Youths United group and had been a UNC activist since 2010 when Dr Rupert Griffith served as the MP; and Hoyte, 28, believes his experience as a teacher and businessman will assist him in his new venture.

Commenting on the five new candidates, political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said, “Our team for the 2020 general election is a mix of the young and the not so young.” In the statement, she said, it was her intention to “marry youth with experience; to give our young people a chance at leadership and to further empower them.”

UNC general secretary Davendranath Tancoo in confirming that the party had completed its screening of all remaining candidates to Sunday Newsday says part of the strategy was to roll out the names “over the course of the next few days.”

The party has selected 39 candidates to contests seats in Trinidad and Persad-Bissessar said at a previous political meeting that it would not be contesting the two seats in Tobago but remains committed to the development of the island.

Tancoo in a WhatsApp exchange said, “We will work with whomever the people of Tobago chooses to represent them.”

Asked if that included a PNM candidate, Tancoo responded: “We obviously do not believe the PNM has done a good job of managing the affairs of Trinidad and Tobago and we believe people in Trinidad and Tobago agree with us. But it is the responsibility of the government to work with whomever the people choose...even if Tobagonians choose a PNM candidate.”

Eleven candidates were previously announced by the party – some of whom are entering the political arena for the first time. Both parties have seen dramatic changes of its gladiators as some long-serving members of Parliament have been replaced. In the case of the PNM, 10 new candidates have been selected to contest seats in some known strongholds and key marginals.

The PNM MPs who were not selected are Marlene McDonald (Port of Spain South) who is charged with corruption offences, Anthony Garcia (Arima), Darryl Smith (Diego Martin Central) who was fired as a Cabinet minister over allegations of misbehaviour in office, Nicole Olivierre (Fyzabad), Maxie Cuffie (La Horquetta/Talparo) who underwent major brain surgery abroad during his five-year term, Cherrie Ann Critchlow-Cockburn (Lopinot/Bon Air West) who was removed as Social Development Minster during a Cabinet reshuffle, Lovell Francis (Moruga/Tableland) who caused a furore over his visit to Guadeloupe and the staging of Karukera One Love Music Festival at Maracas Bay, Edmund Dillon (Pt Fortin) who found himself in the middle of a dispute in relation to the receipt of a New York apartment, Randall Mitchell (San Fernando East) and Glenda Jennings-Smith (Toco/Sangre Grande).

At least four former frontline UNC MPs – Surujrattan Rambachan (Tabaquite), Dr Tim Gopeesingh (Caroni East), Ganga Singh (Chaguanas West) and Khan (San Juan/Barataria) – have opted to sit on the sidelines.

Commenting on this development, founding member of the PNM Ferdie Ferreira, in a letter to the editor stated: “There is no doubt in my mind that both parties are on political fishing expeditions desperately searching for candidates not only to replace what they consider non-performing incumbents but candidates whom they assume will attract the electorate in the forty one constituencies. I reserve my comments on what so far has been made available to us from both sides except to say that I am yet to be convinced.

However, my party, the PNM, appears to be experiencing far more difficulties than the UNC.

“In its 64 years of history the party as far as I can recall has never replaced so many incumbents. To date, 10 incumbents have been replaced. Replacing 10 incumbents out of 23 while in government, most of them (9) newcomers, is a serious indictment against the previous selectors hence my reasons for statesmanship and good judgement. The screening process like our Carnival is seldom concluded without some controversy and Trini bacchanal.”

PNM PRO Laurel Lee Sing told Sunday Newsday that the screening exercise for the La Brea seat, which had 13 nominees, “will take place in the coming week, and once completed, we should be able to announce a candidate then.”

The favoured nominee, Robert Le Hunte, the party’s vice-chairman who resigned as minister of public utilities in May, was rejected as the PNM candidate.

Le Hunte resigned from the Cabinet over a difference of opinion with the PM over policy, as a statement from him had said.

Reports are they had a disagreement over increasing water rates and the Government’s water resources plans.

Nacta poll: Toxic politics driving away voters

A new Nacta poll is claiming that as much as 40 per cent of a random sample of potential voters are not happy with either the ruling PNM or the Opposition UNC.

While pollster Vishnu Bisram did not disclose the sample size or period when the survey was conducted he said that "a large majority of the nation is pleased with the replacement of most incumbents who have largely failed to service their constituency."

According to the poll findings, "The toxicity of national politics is driving away voters. Many say it is a hopeless situation and don’t have much confidence in the future. Some 40% of the voters are not pleased with either major party but are not willing to vote for minor parties saying they don’t have a chance to unseat the major party. They indicate they would not vote."

It found only a handful of MPs enjoy the confidence of their constituents – Prime Minister Dr Rowley (Diego Martin West), Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar (Siparia), Esmond Forde (Tunapuna), Ramona Ramdial (Couva North), Dr Roodal Moonilal (Oropouche East), Rushton Paray (Mayaro), Fazal Karim (Chaguanas East), Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly (St Ann's East), among others.

Nacta said respondents were "excited" with the entry of UNC’s David Nakhid (Tunapuna) into the race, noting he brings star power against the PNM’s strongest candidate in any of the so called marginals.

Other new, young faces in the UNC line-up in marginals Michelle Benjamin (Moruga/Tableland), Sean Sobers (San Fernando West) Ahloy Hunt (St Joseph) are also getting favourable traction in difficult contests against battle-hardened opponents, the survey found.

Voters say the return of Pennelope Beckles (Arima) and the induction of Brian Manning (San Fernando East) strengthens the PNM’s hand in this election; both are on course to victories because a national swing against the government is not being foreseen as happened in 2010 and 1986, it added.

Bisram, in an earlier poll on May 30, stated: "The PNM and UNC’s moves to remove unpopular MPs as candidates for the general election is critical to their chances of winning the general election."

Nacta noted the parties were still carried by the strength of the popularity of their leaders – the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader. The findings showed Persad-Bissessar had a lead on Rowley before the covid19 pandemic which led to a course of action by Government that turned the Prime Minister’s ratings around.

Other parties, including the Watson Duke's Progressive Democratic Patriots (contesting the two Tobago seats), Congress of the People (COP), the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) which has confirmed four candidates, Mickela Panday’s The Patriotic Front, Louis Lee Sing's Port of Spain Peoples Movement (PPM), Phillip Alexander's Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP), Kirk Waithe's Nationwide Organisation of We the People (NOW), Fuad Abu Bakr's New National Vision (NNV) intend to contest the elections and will announce candidates in due course.

Nikoli Edwards, founder of the Progressive Party, will contest the San Fernando West seat.

PNM candidates

Dr Keith Rowley – Diego Martin West

Colm Imbert – Diego Martin North/East

Pennelope Beckles –Arima

Jason Williams – San Juan/Barataria

Marvin Gonzales – Lopinot/Bon Air West

Reyad Ali – Caroni Central

Sharon Archie – Caroni East

Clarence Rambharat – Chaguanas East

Rackeal Bisson – Chaguanas West

Sharda Satram – Couva North

Rajendra Rampersad – Couva South

Ronney Lochan – Cumuto/Manzanilla

Solange De Souza – Fyzabad

Adrian Leonce – Laventille East/ Morvant

Fitzgerald Hinds – Laventille West

Bunny Mahabirsingh – Mayaro

Randy Sinanan – Naparima

Lea Ramoutar – Oropouche West

Daniel Dookie – Pointe a Pierre

Rebecca Dipnarine – Siparia

Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal – St Augustine

Terrence Deyalsingh – St Joseph

Esmond Forde – Tunapuna

Foster Cummings - La Horquetta/Talparo

Ancil Antoine - D’Abadie/O’Meara

Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly - St Ann’s East

Faris Al Rawi – San Fernando West

Brian Manning – San Fernando East

Camille Robinson-Regis – Arouca/Maloney

Winston ‘Gypsy’ Peters – Moruga/Tableland

Sharon Baboolal – Princes Town

Stuart Young – Port of Spain North/ St Ann's West

Cleopatra Borel – Port of Spain South

Symon De Nobrega – Diego Martin Central

Kennedy Richards Jr – Point Fortin

Michael Seales – Tabaquite

Clifford Rambharose – Oropouche East

William Munroe – Toco/Sangre Grande

Shamfa Cudjoe – Tobago West

Ayanna Webster-Roy – Tobago East

UNC candidates

Saddam Hosein – San Juan/Barataria

Dinesh Rambally – Chaguanas West

Flora Singh – Arima

Maurice Hoyte – D'Abadie/O'Meara

Nabila Greene –Toco/Sangre Grande

David Nakhid – Tunapuna

Sean Sobers – San Fernando West

Kenya Charles – St Ann's East

Michelle Benjamin – Moruga/Tableland

Ahloy Hunt – St Joseph

Taharqa Obika – Point Fortin

Marsha Riley-Walker – Diego Martin West

John Ricardo Laquis – Diego Martin Central

Eli Zakour – Diego Martin North East

Curtis Orr – Port of Spain South

Darren Garner – Port of Spain North/ St Ann's East