Imbert scoffs at find of dumped poll cards but Samuel stands by his claim

PNM chairman Colm Imbert on Thursday scoffed at claims of dumped poll cards being found at Pinto Road, Arima, but former Arima MP Rodger Samuel insisted it was true. Earlier a police statement said they were investigating the poll cards which they had been notified of by an unnamed person who was a minister of religion and former minister, a description matching Samuel.

A scoffing Imbert dubbed the claim as some “famous, notorious, alleged poll cards” at a briefing at Balisier House, Port of Spain.

“All I want to say is how convenient, that a former UNC minister found poll cards in the bush, and expects us to think that whoever threw them there, that is the place to throw them.

“If you are going to commit some kind of fraud and somehow get your hands on poll cards, you’ll throw them in the bush for everybody to see, and why is it the former MP is the only man who knew about these poll cards. We think this is too convenient.”

Imbert reckoned someone had simply collected the poll cards and thrown them there.

Newsday called Samuel who said it was he who had notified to the local police station of the poll cards after he had received an anonymous tip-off .

“I made a statement to the station. I made a report to the police station so that’s an official statement. I notified the police and they came and bought their CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) people and collected all of the polling cards. I’m the person who took a shot (photograph) of it. There was no secret of it.”

Newsday asked about Imbert scoffing that the cards were unearthed by a past government minister.

Samuel replied, “Let me tell you something my friend. I am not into bacchanal. I was called by a phone number that didn’t come up on my phone. That was the information I got. I called a guy in Pinto and he took me to where the people said it was. We looked for it and found it. I immediately called the police station. It was left in the hands of the police. The police called me after to make a statement. I went there, told them exactly what happened, what transpired, and that was it for me. It’s in the police hands to deal with whatever it is.

“There’s no ‘convenience’ to it or whatever it is. I was on my way home and I got a call. I’m not into any bacchanal and politics and stuff. I’m just cool.

“Exactly what the police said is exactly what transpired because I did make a statement to the police. There’s no convenience and all kind of stuff. I didn’t go anywhere looking for anything. I was on my way home and a call was made to my phone. I got that information. I don’t even have a clue who called.”

A June 4 article in the TT Guardian said Samuel had attempted to be screened by the UNC to contest the Arima constituency in Monday's general election. It said that Samuel had resigned from the Congress of the People (COP) in February.