MP: Smooth sailing for PNM Sangre Grande candidates

TOCO/SANGRE Grande MP Roger Monroe said on Monday it was smooth sailing for all eight PNM candidates for the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation to register on nomination day for the August 14 local government elections.

Monroe told Newsday, "We assembled at our main office in Sangre Grande at 8 am. We then did a procession to the nomination sites."

Nomination papers were submitted at the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) offices at Brierley Street and Ramdass Street, Sangre Grande.

"All candidates were confirmed and nominated by 11 am."

Monroe named the PNM's eight candidates, including Anicia Williams-Penny for Valencia East/Toco, who replaces veteran councillor and past corporation chairman Martin "Terry" Rondon.

Monroe said, "Today is Terry's 28-year (sic) anniversary (as a councillor.)"

Summing up the candidates' registration, Munroe said, "The process was smooth. The process was great. Our candidates got full support from a couple hundred people who came out.

"As co-ordinator for the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation, I am pleased with the confidence and the reception all our candidates are receiving."

He said the candidates were now very keen to serve.

Asked why Sangre Grande area residents should vote for their PNM candidate, Monroe said that as MP, some 90 per cent of problems coming to him were about local government issues, but over the past three years of UNC control of the corporation he and residents did not get their full co-operation.

"So given this opportunity now, if we align ourselves with the PNM candidate – given the fact that your central government representative is a PNM member – that will give us a better cohesiveness, where I would have a better influence as to getting them to do what is necessary to improve to improve the livelihood and standard of living in each electoral district."

He said as MP he had laid a good foundation of representation in the region. where he served all, he said, without bias.

Newsday asked him about challenges of water supply and bad roads in the area.

"Regarding water, I'm not saying all is 100 per cent perfect.

"I'm aware of some of these challenges and the various communities would know they reach out to my via my personal phone. We do make representation to better the situation.'

The water problem, he said, "is because of where we get our water from. Our source of water is from direct sources. When rain falls, the water source becomes turbid and so they have to interrupt the water supply."

He said he has advocated for upgrades to local water plants to ensure a better supply.

On bad roads, Monroe said for three years local roads had been under the control of the UNC-run corporation, of which he was critical.

With the region's main roads under the care of the Ministry of Works and Transport, he felt he would have better access to resources to fix them.