Debe South voters go to the polls on Monday

THE people of Debe South will go to the polls on Monday to elect a new councillor in the district's by-election.

The Prime Minister said he advised President Paula-Mae Weekes of Monday's by-election date in a statement issued by his office on January 3. The Debe South seat became vacant after the death of UNC councillor Purushottam Singh on February 14, 2021.

The district falls under the jurisdiction of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC). Nomination Day was January 17. Dr Rowley asked for the election writ for the by-election to be issued in accordance with the provisions of Section 29 of the Municipal Corporations Act.

The by-election is a three-way race between the UNC's Khemraj Sunil Seecharan, the PNM's Judy Sookdeo and the PEP's Lorenzo Sammy. All three parties concluded their respective campaigns on Saturday,

The PDRC is one of seven local government corporations in Trinidad which is controlled by the Opposition UNC.

The PDRC has ten electoral districts, which includes Debe South. In the December 2019 local government elections, the UNC won all ten districts in the PDRC.

The party also has four aldermen at the corporation. In those elections, Singh convincingly defeated PNM candidate Jagessar Deodath by 2,859 to 103 votes

In the 2019 local government elections, the PNM and UNC each won seven of the 14 local government corporations in Trinidad. In addition to the PDRC, the UNC also holds the Chaguanas borough, Siparia, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, Mayaro/Rio Claro and Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo regional corporations. The PNM controls the cities of Port of Spain and San Fernando; Arima and Point Fortin boroughs; and San/Juan Laventille and Diego Martin regional corporations.

Local government elections are constitutionally due this year.