MSJ presents 5th, final candidate

THE MSJ has decided it will field only five candidates in the August 10 general election.

During a walkabout in the Pointe-a-Pierre constituency, MSJ leader David Abdulah presented the party's fifth candidate Marlon Greaves, who will contest La Brea.

In June, the party selected Renee St Rose (Diego Martin Central), Ernesto Kesar (Point Fortin) Radhaka Gualbance (Fyzabad) and Abdulah (Pointe-a-Pierre). Abdulah said Greaves' selection concludes the MSJ's slate of candidates ahead of Nomination Day on July 17.

"We are settling on five."

St Rose, Kesar and Greaves are all contesting PNM stronghold constituencies. Gualbance is contesting a UNC safe seat.

Abdulah will be bidding to win one of nine marginal seats that will be key to whoever forms the government. His main challengers are UNC candidate David Lee and PNM candidate Daniel Dookie.

Abdulah said from the feedback the MSJ was getting over the past week "we were getting good traction."

On Sunday, he said, the MSJ will have an activists' meeting at which it will get further information about the candidates' activities in their respective constituencies, and plan its strategy.

Abdulah said the MSJ's decision to contest these five constituencies was based on the work the party has been doing there. Last year the MSJ contested local government districts which fall in Diego Martin Central, La Brea, Fyzabad, Point Fortin and Pointe-a-Pierre.