Penal Corporation chair: UNC ready for by-election

ALTHOUGH a date is yet to be announced for the Quinam/Morne Diablo by-election, the newchairman of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC), Gowtam Maharaj, said the opposition UNC is ready to contest and retain the seat.

“We are ready for whenever the election is called. We do not know when the government will announce the date,” Maharaj said on Thursday.

The seat became vacant on December 22, when councillor and chairman Diptee Ramnath died at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Since then, the electoral district has been without a local government representative.

Ramnath spent only four months as chairman, but had been a councillor at the UNC-controlled corporation for many years.

Maharaj was sworn in on January 3, together with Penal councillor Shanty Boodram, who became the corporation’s first female vice-chairman.

“After my swearing as chairman, letters were sent to the Local Government Minister on the declaration of the vacancy. That is a legal procedure.

"So the minister has been apprised, and he then would apprise the Prime Minister, who would apprise the President,” Maharaj said.

So far, candidates have yet to be chosen, but Maharaj believes many people will be willing to offer themselves for the position.

He said the Quinam/Morne Diablo district has not been neglected, as the PDRC has a management structure to look after its burgesses.

Former chairman Dr Allen Sammy said Ramnath will be missed.

“Whoever gets the seat would have a big shoe to fill, because Diptee was very effective in terms of his day-to-day activities on the field. At the end of the day, that is what matters because the people want to see the place clean; they want to see things happening,” Sammy said.

In February 2021, Debe South councillor Purushottam Singh died, leaving the seat vacant for almost a year.

On February 7, 2022, UNC candidate Khemraj Sunil Seecharan won the seat in a by-election. Last year, Seecharan retained the seat.