UNC-turned-PNM candidate confident of victory in Marabella

Marcus Girdharie is convinced he will win the Marabella South/Vistabella seat on August 14 on a PNM ticket, just as he did in 2016 on a UNC ticket.

On Monday, after filing his nomination papers at the Marabella South Secondary School, Girdharie told reporters  he had done all the necessary work in his first term to prove himself the candidate of choice.

Despite his recent change in political affiliation, he also expressed confidence that some of his previous supporters continue to back him. He said he had told them of his switch even before the news became public.

He said constituents had responded, “The UNC never did anything for us. It was you, Marcus. It does not matter which party it is. ”

He said the district was diverse and knew that some people voted for party.

But, he said, “During my term in office, the serving was across the board. It was not only for UNC people. I served the entire district, so people would have seen the value of my work as a councillor and as a representative for them."

Girdharie said he was “extremely excited” that the filing process was over and successfully completed.

Earlier in the day, Girdharie supported other PNM candidates, Nigel Couttier for Mon Repos/Navet, Teresa Lynch for Cocoyea/Tarouba and Robert Parris for Pleasantville, at the Village Plaza in Pleasantville.

They gathered there and then walked to the Pleasantville Secondary School for the latter three to file their papers.

Former San Fernando mayor Kazim Hosein, now Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Minister, also accompanied the candidates, with live tassa music and moko jumbies.

“The process was a bit delayed because some of the candidates were not prepared as we were. We had no hiccups but had to wait our turn, so the process kept us back.

"Nevertheless, we are here and confident of winning the nine seats in the city of San Fernando,” Hosein later said.

He considered the UNC-turned-PNM candidate humble and expressed confidence about his winning.

Hosein is also an ex-councillor for Les Efforts East/Cipero, the seat his brother Ryaad Hosein hopes to retain.