PNM screens for D'Abadie/O'Meara on Tuesday

THE PNM will screen nominees for the D'Abadie/ O'Meara constituency at Queen's Hall in St Ann's from 5 pm on Tuesday. This was disclosed on Monday by PNM general secretary Foster Cummings and PNM vice-chairman Robert Le Hunte.

The screening is being held after the party, on Sunday, removed Ancil Antoine as its D'Abadie/O'Meara candidate after he described the United States as a "s...hole country." Antoine later apologised for his statement and offered to PNM political leader Dr Keith Rowley his "withdrawal from the PNM team for the 2020 election."

Antoine, a former TT Defence Force chief of staff, was the former D'Abadie/O'Meara MP. He also served as public utilities minister early in the term of Rowley's administration. Cummings and Le Hunte were unable to say how many nominees would appear before the PNM's screening committee, which is chaired by Rowley.

Sources told Newsday that at least five people would be screened. Among the nominees are Arima Mayor Lisa Morris-Julien and councillor Lyndon Patterson, from the Arima borough council.

Other names mentioned by party sources were Avelene Scott, Luana Guerra and Satish Ojah-Maharaj. Before Antoine's removal, the PNM had its full slate of 41 candidates. On Sunday, the UNC announced its full list of 39 candidates.