5 local gov't by-elections in Trinidad on Monday

D'Abadie/O'Meara MP Lisa Morris-Julian, gives a bounce to PNM candidate for Arima Central By-Election, Dr. Juliet Hilary Bernard, after she filed her nomination papers at the La Horquetta Regional Complex. Morris-Julian was the previous holder of the seat until she won a seat in the last General Election. - Angelo Marcelle
D'Abadie/O'Meara MP Lisa Morris-Julian, gives a bounce to PNM candidate for Arima Central By-Election, Dr. Juliet Hilary Bernard, after she filed her nomination papers at the La Horquetta Regional Complex. Morris-Julian was the previous holder of the seat until she won a seat in the last General Election. - Angelo Marcelle

WHILE most attention will be focused on the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections in Tobago on Monday, five by-elections will be taking place at the same time in Trinidad. Arguably, the intensity of the campaign for control of the assembly has overshadowed the campaigns for these five local government districts.

These by-elections are taking place because their former representatives were successfully elected to the House of Representatives in the August 10, 2020 general election.

In a letter dated December 9, 2020 to President Paula-Mae Weekes, the Prime Minister advised that by-elections should be held in Arima Central (Arima Borough Corporation), Morne Coco/Alyce Glen (Diego Martin Regional Corporation), Hollywood (Point Fortin Borough Corporation), Cunupia (Chaguanas Borough Corporation) and Hindustan/St Mary (Princes Town Regional Corporation).

The former representatives for these respective districts – Lisa Morris-Julian, Symon de Nobriga, Kennedy Richards Jr, Vandana Mohit and Michelle Benjamin – are now the elected MPs for D'Abadie/O'Meara, Diego Martin Central, Point Fortin, Chaguanas East and Moruga/Tableland respectively. Morris-Julian (D'Abadie/O'Meara), Richards Jr and Mohit are the former mayors of the Arima Borough, Point Fortin Borough and Chaguanas Borough Corporations respectively. De Nobriga is the former Diego Martin Regional Corporation chairman.

Morris-Julian and de Nobriga are Minister in the Ministry of Education and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibility for communications, respectively. Richards Jr is a government MP. Mohit and Benjamin are opposition MPs.

UNC's Arima Central candidate Sheldon 'Fish' Garcia and a supporter during a motorcade in Arima on Saturday. -

The PNM and the UNC are the only political parties contesting the by-elections. The PNM's candidates are Dr Juliet Bernard (Arima Central), Rasheed "Patos" Ali (Cunupia); Martina Loubon-Le Gendre (Hindustan/St Mary's), Leslie Chang Fong (Hollywood) and Jinelle Schulere-Smart (Alyce/Glen/Morne Coco).The UNC's candidates are Sheldon Louis Garcia (Arima Central), Richard Gautam Sukdeo (Cunupia), Tylon Dwight Farrell (Hindustan/St Mary's), Daniel John (Hollywood) and John Laquis ( Morne Coco/Alyce Glen).There are three independent candidates in the by-elections. Two of them, Ariel Saunders and Peterson Morales are contesting the Hindustan/St Mary's district. The other candidate Christopher Wright is contesting the Hollywood district.

There are approximately 32,351 people registered to vote in Monday's by-elections. The winners of these by-elections would serve as local government representatives for at least one year as local government elections are constitutionally due in 2022.

Three districts (Arima Central, Morne Coco/Alyce Glen and Hollywood) fall under the PNM controlled Arima Borough, Diego Martin Regional and Point Fortin Borough Corporations, respectively. Cunupia and Hindustan/St Mary's are under the jurisdiction of the Chaguanas Borough and Princes Town Regional Corporations which are controlled by the UNC.

The PNM, UNC and independent candidates were on Sunday making final checks to their election machinery ahead of election day on Monday.

ATTACHED BOX

Local Govt corporation District Total registered voters

Arima Borough Corporation Arima Central 4,147

Diego Martin Regional Corporation Morne Coco/Alyce Glen 8,415

Point Fortin Borough Corporation Hollywood 2,748

Princes Town Regional Corporation Hindustan/St Mary's 8,723

Chaguanas Borough Corporation Cunupia 8,318

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"5 local gov’t by-elections in Trinidad on Monday"

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