From Pointe-a-Pierre to Claxton Bay – Residents divided about proposed EBC name change

CONSTITUENTS of Pointe-a-Pierre have said it makes absolutely no sense to them to change the name of the constituency to Claxton Bay.

Regardless of what the constituency is named, constituents do not see the quality of their lives improving as a result of it.

They also said changing the constituency's name will not have any effect on the outcome of the next general election because neither the UNC nor the PNM have done anything to improve the quality of life in the constituency.

In its report, dated March 13, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) reviewed the boundaries of all 41 parliamentary constituencies.

The report proposed changing the names of five constituencies.

They are Arouca/Maloney to Trincity/Maloney, D’Abadie/O’Meara to Malabar/Mausica, Lopinot/Bon Air West to Arouca/Lopinot, St Joseph to Aranguez/St Joseph and Pointe-a-Pierre to Claxton Bay.

The EBC also proposed boundary changes for 16 constituencies.

They are Toco/Sangre Grande, Malabar/Mausica, Caroni Central, Cumuto/Manzanilla, Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West, Port of Spain South, San Fernando East, San Fernando West, Claxton Bay, La Horquetta/Talparo, Laventille East/Morvant, Laventille West, Oropouche East, Tabaquite, Arima and Trincity/Maloney.

In the report, the EBC said, "In Trinidad and in Tobago, respectively, the electorate in any constituency shall not be more than 110 per cent nor be less than 90 per cent of the total electorate of the island divided by the number of constituencies in that island."

The report said the 1,095,080 population of Trinidad fitting into 39 constituencies would give an average of 28,079 people per constituency, equating to a permissible lower limit of 25,271 (90 per cent) and upper limit of 30,887 (110 per cent). To get the 52,163 residents of Tobago into two constituencies gives a constituency average of 26,082 people, with a permissible lower limit of 23,473 and upper limit of 28,690 people.

Changes to the boundaries of 16 constituencies arose from certain areas having too many or too few residents, based on these 90 per cent lower limits and 110 per cent upper limits.

The EBC said the electorate of Pointe-a-Pierre was 25,094 people and the constituency 31 polling divisions before an adjustment was made to its boundaries.

"Polling division 3206 with an electorate of 936 was transferred to this constituency from Tabaquite, thereby increasing the electorate of Pointe-a-Pierre to 26,030 and increasing the number of Polling Divisions to 32."

The EBC said the adjustments have seen the electorate of Tabaquite reduced to 28,653 which is within the permissible limits.

Correspondingly, the number of polling divisions in Tabaquite was reduced by one to 38.

The polling divisions in the former Pointe-a-Pierre/ new Claxton Bay constituency are 3206, 3210, 3215, 3220, 3225, 3230, 3235, 3240, 3295, 3296, 3300, 3305, 3310, 3315, 3320, 3325, 3330, 3331, 3955, 3956, 3957, 3960, 3961, 3962, 3963, 3965, 3980, 3981, 3985, 3986, 3987, 3988.

Pointe-a-Pierre has been represented in Parliament by the UNC's David Lee since September 2015.

Lee is also a UNC deputy political leader.

In terms of election preparedness, the PNM has already selected 32 candidates while the UNC has named eight candidates while the National Transformation Alliance has confirmed three candidates.

Name change won't make a difference

Newsday visited different parts of Pointe-a-Pierre/Claxton Bay on December 11 to find out what constituents thought about the constituency's name being changed, developments in the constituency since the last election in 2020 and their expectations for the next one which is constitutionally due by next August.

Under the law, the election can be held as late as next November.

Asked about changing the name of the constituency, Bridglal Supasad said, "It won't make a difference."

Supasad added he has always known the area to be St Margaret's/Claxton Bay.

He felt Lee had done a good job as MP.

Supasad was confident regardless of its name, the UNC will retain the constituency in the next election.

"It will still be a UNC (constituency). David Lee wasn't bad. If he comes back, he will win again."

At St Margaret's Junction, Noel Dillon said, "This area is Plaisance Park, Pointe-a-Pierre."

Dillon saw no reason to change the constituency's name.

"Since I came here, I know the area by the same name. Pointe-a-Pierre...Plaisance Park...Pointe-a-Pierre...St Margaret's...Macaulay. I living here 40 years now."

Dillon felt Lee and the UNC had poorly represented the constituency over the last ten years.

"The man who winning this seat here, he hasn't fixed enough for (the people). He is no good. He is no good at all. He doesn't care about here."

He preferred someone from another party to be elected as the next MP.

"Anybody else but not him (Lee). He isn't doing anything."

John Douglas, 76, who previously lived in the constituency but still has a house there, saw no sense in changing its name.

Asked if he believed this would make any difference to constituents, replied, "No. I don't think so."

Douglas did not think Lee was a good MP just on the basis of the poor state of roads in Pointe-a-Pierre.

He did not support the view that because Lee was in opposition and not government, the quality of life in the constituency could not have been improved.

"I don't think so. He's supposed to have a say about what is going on."

Asked what one thing he was would want to see improve in Pointe-a-Pierre after the election, Douglas said, "Water. People have been suffering for water in this place. Take care of the water and the roads."

Alicia Charles said, "This is a Pointe-a-Pierre district. So from Marabella come straight up to Claxton Bay...I'm not sure if Forres Park is part of the Pointe-a-Pierre constituency...I'm not sure about that...but I don't think they should change it.

Charles, 36, added, "It is not one entity. Not just Claxton Bay makes up Pointe-a-Pierre. It's how many different areas make up the constituency of Pointe-a Pierre. That's not making sense."

Asked if changing the constituency would affect what happens there, Charles said, "It won't make a difference."

Charles has lived in Marabella and Claxton Bay at different times.

She was not impressed with UNC's representation of the constituency at the parliamentary or local government level.

"UNC control this whole Pointe-a-Pierre area and nothing has been done. We don't even see them walking the road."

She was not optimistic the quality of constituents' lives would improve under the PNM either.

"I find that both parties...PNM and UNC...it's not that we are only seeing them on the ground to get the votes...but after they get the votes and they win and they are inside...we don't know who you are. I'm not happy with either one of them."

Charles said the PNM and UNC are only about engaging in picong against each other but not addressing the real needs of the people.

"It has single parents. They talk about robbing and stealing. But people don't come and steal just so. There is a reason."

Charles said said it is not a case of people falling into a bad crowd and committing crimes but also people who are unemployed and turn to crime to survive.

At the Claxton Bay fishing depot, one man who declined to give his name, said changing the constituency's name was an election gimmick.

"All they change up the constituency. They shouldn't do that. They will change it to win election. PNM did change it. UNC didn't change anything.."

The man said, "Anywhere you go, UNC and PNM aren't doing anything for anybody."

He added, "I could tell you that. If a man wins an election here, you put him here to represent you, you never seen him until the next election comes."

The man said, "Everybody is like that. Why you think they kick out (Fitzgerald) Hinds for? He never look for the people. They kick him out."

Hinds withdrew his nomination for Laventille West, which he has represented since September 2015. He has been replaced by attorney Kareem Marcelle.

The constituent added that anyone who drives from Marabella to Couva along the Southern Main Road, will see for themselves how deplorable the roads in Pointe-a-Pierre are.

The man said people regularly have to fix their cars because of the poor road conditions.

"Nobody is doing anything about it."

The man said boundaries have been shifted over the years, making it difficult for people to know where is Pointe-a-Pierre relative to the neighbouring constituency of Couva South.

"They cut it up all how."

He repeated that no one has benefitted from these changes

Another man who called himself "Biggie" said, "I can't wait five years, they win and you not seeing them for another five years. That's real stupidness."

He added, "David Lee fixing certain areas and he's not fixing certain areas because you know why...he believing he won't get votes from certain areas."

"Biggie" had no expectations after the next election.

"The only thing changing is the government. We still have to come out here and face all these potholes and all these things and we have to beg (for everything)."

"Biggie" said California was one part of the constituency which Lee paid no attention to.

He was grateful for backroads in the vicinity of the Point Lisas Industrial Estate to make things a little easier for motorists travelling through the constituency.

Lee was unavailable for comment.

'Election campaign should focus on door to door'

Former PNM Pointe-a-Pierre candidate Daniel Dookie does not believe the changes outlined for the constituency's boundaries or its renaming would have any influence on who wins the constituency in the next election.

Dookie said, "Regardless of the changes, the election would be won door to door. That is on the ground."

Dookie unsuccessfully challenged Lee for Pointe-a-Pierre in the August 2020 election.

Lee defeated him 8,869-7,357 votes.

The House of Representatives sat on December 9 and passed a motion to approve the Draft EBC Order 2024 which approves the recommendations contained in the commission's March 13 report on review of constituency boundaries.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in the brief debate on the motion, claims the boundary changes would help the PNM in the next general election which is constitutionally due by next August.

Under the law, the election can be held as late as next November.

The Prime Minister dismissed claims by Persad-Bissessar about the PNM's trying to steal the election through recommendations by the EBC to change constituency boundaries.

The motion's purpose was to approve the EBC report in which the commission reviewed the boundaries of all 41 parliamentary constituencies.

In accordance with Section 72 (1) of the Constitution, the Prime Minister is required to submit a draft order before the House which will implement the recommendations contained in this report, without modifications.

Rowley asked why Persad-Bissessar was claiming the report had "some subterfuge to it."

He said, "It was all hooey. Let the record show there was never any issue with the report being laid here or being prepared by the EBC."

Rowley also said her claims about constituencies being gerrymandered were false.

"UNC and other people feed that foolishness to the population."

Rowley told MPs the lowest number of voters in any election was found in Chacachacare, in Diego Martin West which he has represented since January 1992.

He added that number is "0005."

Starting from this point, Rowley continued, the first constituency going east which could experience any changes to its boundaries is Diego Martin West. He recalled that as its MP, he has seen its boundaries change on the east and the north.

"As you fill out Diego Martin West, you keep moving eastwards and the boundary changes are required to be made, between those constituencies, as you go, all the way around the country."

Rowley said the UNC keeps misleading people about this.

He told Persad-Bissessar that while she is the incumbent Siparia MP, the constituency is not hers.

"It is a part of the description of a constituency and it is not made for you."

Rowley acknowledged Persad-Bissessar's observation that 80 per cent of the constituency of Siparia is not actually found in the geographical space of Siparia.

He said all the EBC's report was recommending was to change the names of constituencies in instances where 80 per cent of its electorate spilled over into another place.

He said there was no elaborate process to change the name of any constituency, as alleged by Persad-Bissessar. He added all that needed to be done was to approve the motion which effects the name change recommended by the EBC.

Rowley asked Persad-Bissessar if she was implying that elected MPs do not have the power to do this.

The EBC, he said, is independent of the government and all political parties.

Boundaries of constituency

The boundaries of Pointe-a-Pierre/Claxton Bay are defined as follows:

North: From the point on the sea coast where a private road for bulk sugar loading meets it at Point Lisas proceeding in a generally north-easterly direction along the said road for bulk sugar loading to the Southern Main Road; thence in a generally north-easterly direction along the Southern Main Road to the point where it crosses the TT Government Railway Reserve formerly known as the San Fernando Line; thence in a generally north-easterly direction along the said Railway Reserve to the point where it is crossed by Phoenix Park Road; thence in a generally easterly direction along Phoenix Park Road to the point where it crosses the eastern boundary of Windsor Park Estate; thence proceeding southwards and eastwards along the eastern boundary of Windsor Park Estate to the point where it is crossed by Windsor Park Road Extension; thence to and along Windsor Park Road Extension to the point where it crosses the southern boundary of Windsor Park Estate proceeding eastwards and northwards along the southern and eastern boundaries of the said estate to the north-western corner of Mt Pleasant Estate; thence eastwards along the northern boundary of Mt Pleasant Estate to the junction of Tambou Trace and Carolina Road; thence eastward along Tambou Trace and across the Solomon Hochoy Highway to its junction with Kanga Settlement Road.

East: From the last-mentioned point proceeding in a generally south-westerly direction along Kanga Settlement Road to its junction with Cedar Hill Road; thence proceeding in a generally south-westerly and then westerly direction along Cedar Hill Road to the point where it overpasses the north-bound carriage-way of the Solomon Hochoy Highway; thence in a generally southerly direction along the north- bound carriage-way of the Solomon Hochoy Highway to its junction with the Tarouba Link Road.

South: From the last-mentioned point proceeding in a generally westerly direction along the Tarouba Link Road to its junction with the San Fernando Bye-Pass.

West: From the last-mentioned point proceeding northwards along the San Fernando Bye-Pass; thence to and along the Southern Main Road to the point where it crosses the north bank of the Guaracara River; thence in a generally westerly direction along the north bank of the Guaracara River to the point at its mouth on the sea coast; thence in a generally northerly direction along the said sea coast to the point where it meets a private road for bulk sugar loading at Point Lisas at the point of commencement.