Final candidate list shows: Faris in five-way fight

PNM candidate Faris Al-Rawi. -
PNM candidate Faris Al-Rawi. -

SEAN DOUGLAS

ATTORNEY GENERAL Faris Al-Rawi faces a five-way fight for his marginal San Fernando West seat in the August 10 general election, according to the Notice of Taking a Poll published on Monday on the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) website.

He’ll be challenged by the United National Congress’s (UNC’s) Sean Sobers, Progressive Party head Nikoli Edwards, Benison Jagesar of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) and Valmiki Ramsingh.

A five-way fight will also be seen in the marginal seat of Moruga/Tableland, which the PNM won in 2015 by just 533 votes. The PNM’s Winston “Gypsy” Peters will face off with the UNC’s Michelle Benjamin, the Humanity Campaign’s (THC’s) Larry Sanchar, Valentine Alvarez, and Thomas Sotillo.

Five-way fights are also set for La Brea, Point Fortin, Diego Martin North/East (including PEP head Phillip Edward Alexander) and St Augustine (where the UNC’s Khadijah Ameen’s rivals include Congress of the People (COP) head Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan.)

Two seats each have a whopping six candidates. In Laventille West, former MP and Public Utilities Minister Fitzgerald Hinds faces the UNC’s Rodney Stowe, Nationwide Organisation of We the People (NOW) head Kirk Waithe, New National Vision’s (NNV’s) Sandra Emmanuel, COP’s Matthew Sinnette and Natalia Moore of PEP.

Six are also vying for Diego Martin Central. These are the PNM’s Symon De Nobriga, NNV’s Ashton Francis, PEP’s Felicia Holder, UNC’s John Laquis, Movement for National Development (MND) head Garvin Nicholas and Movement for Social Justice’s (MSJ’s) Renee St Rose.

Four marginals will each see a four-way fight. In St Joseph are the PNM’s Terrence Deyalsingh, UNC’s Ahloy Hunt, THC’s Joel Williams and independent Errol Fabien.

In Tunapuna are the PNM’s Esmond Forde, UNC’s David Nakhid, PEP’s Maurice Downes and THC’s Marcus Ramkissoon.

Chaguanas East has the UNC’s Vandana Mohit, PNM’s Clarence Rambharat, PEP’s Robert Gibbs and independent Shiraz Khan. Running for Pointe-a-Pierre are the UNC’s David Lee, PNM’s Daniel Dookie, PEP’s Marvyn Howard and MSJ’s David Abdulah.

The marginal seats of Barataria/San Juan (UNC's Saddam Hosein, PNM's Jason Williams and PEPs Albertha Purdeen), La Horquetta/Talparo (PNM's Foster Cummings, UNC's Jearlean John, and PEP's Thomas Benet) and Tobago East (Progressive Democratic Patriots head Watson Duke, PNM's Ayanna Webster Roy and One Tobago Voice's Juliana Henry-King) are each three-way fights.

The EBC has previously said 150 candidates will vie for 41 seats.

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"Final candidate list shows: Faris in five-way fight"

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