Ex-UNC candidate files complaint after Chaguanas clash

FORMER UNC candidate Davica Thomas has complained to the police about being assaulted during an incident in Chaguanas on Sunday, which saw former Caroni (1975) Ltd workers clash with UNC supporters during a march led by the party's women's arm.

Thomas made her complaint at the Chaguanas Police Station at 5 pm. A copy of the citizen report receipt obtained by Newsday showed she complained about being assaulted. The receipt did not say who the complaint was made against.

Hours earlier, Thomas and a group of former Caroni workers mingled with UNC supporters who were on a public march along Narsaloo Ramaya Road, St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen objected to the presence of Thomas and a handful of former workers at the march.

Things became heated when Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial and other UNC supporters came to Ameen's defence while former Caroni workers backed up Thomas. In the melee that followed, former workers and UNC supporters shouted and gesticulated at each other and a placard held by a former worker was torn and dropped to the ground.

Police officers who were on site intervened swiftly to separate members of the groups.

Contacted on Monday, Thomas confirmed she filed the complaint and maintained that someone pushed her. She recalled that the incident was recorded. "Videos don't lie." Having filed the complaint, Thomas said she will now wait to see what happens next.

Thomas confirmed she was on Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal's Team Loyalist slate in the UNC's internal election in December 2015. She was a candidate for the UNC's central co-ordinator in that election, in which Moonilal unsuccessfully challenged Kamla Persad-Bissessar for the party's leadership.

Asked about her relationship with Moonilal, Thomas said, "Dr Moonilal and I have no fight as far as I know." She added, "We communicate from time to time." Thomas did not comment on Moonilal's claim that some former Caroni workers were stalking the UNC's Women's Arm.

Speaking with reporters at the Mohess Road Recreational Ground on Sunday, hours after the incident in Chaguanas, Moonilal described it as "political hypocrisy and political mischief by a few." On Monday, Moonilal confirmed he knew Thomas and she was on his slate in December 2015.

On her involvement with some of the former Caroni workers, Moonilal said, "I think she is being misled."

On Sunday, Thomas said she was working with a team representing former Caroni workers who are yet to receive two-acre agricultural plots promised to them after the company was closed in 2003.

She reiterated that letters highlighting the ex-workers' concerns and requesting a meeting, were sent to Persad-Bissessar's constituency office in Penal and to the Opposition Leader's Office in Port of Spain, three weeks ago.

Thomas said similar letters have been sent to new Agriculture Minister Kazim Hosein and new Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture Nigel De Freitas as well. Hosein and De Freitas were appointed to these positions as part of a Cabinet reshuffle on March 16. Hosein replaces Clarence Rambharat who resigned as agriculture minister and as a government senator.

De Freitas, a government senator, relinquished his post as senate vice-president to assume his new ministerial portfolio which deals with lands. Government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said De Freitas would meet soon with ministry staff and would be briefed on all matters that require his attention.