4 by-elections on the cards as mayors become MPs

IT’S back to the polls for four constituencies later this year, but at the local government level.

The election of three mayors and one chairman of a regional corporation in Monday’s general election will trigger by-elections in four districts.

The three mayors – Lisa Morris-Julian of Arima, Vandana Mohit of Chaguanas, Kennedy Richards of Point Fortin – and chairman of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation (DMRC) Symon de Nobriga were all councillors.

They were selected by their respective parties, the winning People’s National Movement (PNM) and the United National Congress (UNC) to make the move from local to central government.

Morris-Julian, de Nobriga and Richards won the D’Abadie/O’Meara, Diego Martin Central and Point Fortin seats respectively for the PNM. Mohit contested and won the Chaguanas East seat for the UNC.

Although the four are still heads of their respective councils, now that they have been elected to Parliament, the Municipal Corporation Act requires them to resign and be sworn in as MPs.

Once a declaration is made and the positions become vacant then further action can be taken.

Richards, who confirmed on Tuesday he is still mayor, said his final special statutory meeting in Point Fortin will be held on Wednesday. It is likely that the mayorship will be handed over to his deputy, Alderman Seleema Thomas. The same may apply to deputies at the other three corporations.