PEP leader denounces 'gangster politics' in Maraval

Leader of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) Phillip Edward Alexander is calling on all parties to obey the law while campaigning this general election, as he lamented the trend of candidates defacing posters and sometimes intimidating rival parties' supporters.

Speaking at the opening of PEP's campaign headquarters on Park Street, Port of Spain, on Monday, Alexander described the behaviour of some parties as "gangster politics" and accused the UNC in Diego Martin North/East of being the main perpetrator of this trend.

Alexander, who is contesting the same seat, claimed some PEP's banners were torn down by rival political supporters and yellow graffiti sprayed on walls.

"People in Maraval don't like it."

He said the UNC's campaign in the constituency was "the most gangster and disgusting of all, and you've been painting up the community yellow.

"If you have a shred of decency, you would go out there and take down all those disgusting posters and clean all the yellow paint that your supporters, employees and what we are being told are gang members being employed by the UNC spilled."

Alexander also claimed that people were being hired by the UNC to "take down everybody else's banners, tear their posters off walls" and stick up UNC posters.

Asked if he had notified the police, Alexander said he hoped Police Commissioner Gary Griffith took note of the issue, as it was posted on social media.

"While the commissioner lives in the official residence, his primary residence is in Maraval. I am hoping he will make a statement on the issue because he must be seeing the social media posts.

"When I put up the information that I did on Diego Martin North/East, so many other constituencies weighed in and complained about the gangster politics."

Alexander said there was no room for gangster politics in the current political landscape and implored candidates of all parties to meet and interact with their constituents to understand their concerns.

When Newsday contacted UNC candidate Eli Zakour for comment, he said his attorneys were preparing a statement for release on Tuesday.