Ameen: PNM offered money for intimate photos of UNC candidate

UNITED National Congress (UNC) deputy political leader Khadijah Ameen has claimed the People's National Movement (PNM) offered someone close to a UNC candidate money for intimate photographs of the candidate.

Ameen initially raised the issue during the Senate debate on Monday on the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2020.

She said a woman may feel shamed if an intimate image is shared, but it was not the same for men. She added that she was aware of a man in the entertainment industry who had an intimate photograph posted by an aggrieved ex and then used it is as his social-media status picture.

Ameen said this type of behaviour should not be encouraged by third parties.

She pointed out that the country is going into the election period and she knew of an incident in which attempts were being made to intimidate candidates, and particularly women, using this practice.

"But for political parties to purchase images from aggrieved persons and threaten candidates to expose these images, this would not be captured under the Domestic Violence Act. But certainly it encourages it. So I want to urge any persons who might be encouraged to engage in that type of behaviour to desist."

Ameen in a WhatsApp message to Newsday, later said she could not give details, but confirmed that she was speaking about the PNM and a UNC candidate.

"And so I used the opportunity to condemn such action and warn that they should desist."

PNM PRO Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing described the allegation as "absolute nonsense."

"I have no knowledge of that. That is not PNM-style politics. If that is what the UNC has subscribed to, that is not our way."

She added that it was "silly season" and these types of things were expected from the UNC camp.

In December last year social media featured explicit photos of a woman, purportedly of Chaguanas mayor and UNC councillor Vandana Mohit, were posted online. Mohit to date has not commented on the incident and UNC PRO Anita Haynes described it as a dead issue.