Rambally aims to serve community in Chaguanas West

INCUMBENT MP for Chaguanas West Dinesh Rambally who was among several people screened as potential candidates for the general election, said his aim as candidate was to put people first.

“I believe in working for the community. I believe in working for constituents and most importantly, I believe in working toward building TT. I have done that.

“I can’t speak for anyone else. I can speak for myself. If anyone has stood on the side of people of TT, regardless of race, class, gender or anything that would put them in some category of their own, I have looked beyond all of that and represented TT.

He was speaking at the UNC headquarters on Mulchan Seuchan Road in Chaguanas. Flanked by Chaguanas-based activists, Rambally said his only focus as an MP and member of the UNC was serving people.

“If people don’t agree with my strategy of people first, then we have problems. That is the only thing I know. When I signed up to be part of the UNC no one told me it would it was anything other than putting people first.

“I intend to put people first at all times, whether it is as MP, or anything else. I will put people first at all times. If there is another criteria or threshold, then we are in for some problems.”

Rambally is one of five UNC MPs labelled as “dissidents” along with Anita Haynes-Alleyne, Rodney Charles, Rai Ragbir and Rushton Paray, after they questioned the UNC’s ability to win the next general election with Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar as political leader.

When asked, given his questioning of Persad-Bissessar’s leadership, why he chose to put his name forward for screening, he said he intended to do as much as he could for the people of Chaguanas West, and that was the forum to do it.

“I am interested in serving the people of Chaguanas West. I am interested in serving people, and I will not turn my back on them. I intend to do as much as I can.

“I will use other avenues to serve the people if I am refused, but for now, I am saying this is the avenue… I can only hope that people could see beyond that (questioning Kamla’s leadership) and see that it is good to have healthy dissent. It is good to take these things on board.”

He said some of the challenges that the constituents faced which he would focus on included infrastructure and crime.

“There are some road networks, Boca Road, Adjoda Road, Warren Road, Alligator Trace and other areas but those in the central part of the constituency, they are very badly off. You have a fear that if you drive into these roads you may not come out on the next side.

“The Caroni River bank – some work has been done there, but more needs to be done. There are things that we can do. Every year we are seeing more extreme weather patterns and we need to mitigate this flooding.

“Chaguanas West has been targeted in extortion crimes. This is something that I have spoken out about.”

The screening, which was still ongoing up to press time, was for Mayaro, Chaguanas West and Naparima.

One of the more popular hopefuls vying for the Naparima seat, Jayanti Lutchmedial-Ramdial said she had been doing ground work in the constituency for almost two years.

“It is a huge constituency… I have very well ingrained myself into the communities. I have really put the time into getting to know the people, all the activists on the ground.”

She added that her experience as a senator had also shown her support of the party.

“I have spent the last five years in the Senate. I think people have seen me as someone who has stood in defence of the UNC in more ways than one – in terms of our court matters and other areas, and they liked that. I was actually approached by people about two years ago and they have been working with me since.”

Asked about the number of potential candidates and what she had done to stand out among them she said the party was unified and she would support whatever decision was made by the executive.

“My only “opponent” is the PNM. We all stand together offering ourselves in service of the party. I stand on my reputation and strengths and I am putting it forward.

One of the biggest issues facing the Naparima area is infrastructure, Lutchmedial-Ramdial said.

“The roads are deplorable. There has been total neglect by the Ministry of Works and Transport of some major roads in the Naparima area – Garth Road, Coryal Road, Iere Village branch road, Jaipaulsingh road.

“Some of those areas have oil wells that would have produced the most barrels of oil a day at one point in time. Some of the wealth of this country comes from those areas and they have the worst infrastructure in this country.

Chris Hosein, a 32-year-old alderman, said his focus was on Naparima because it was his home.

“I joined the UNC when I was 14 years old. I have been a member for the past 18 years, which is more than half my life. I have served in Naparima on the youth arm of the UNC.

"I have a real passion for my constituency, because it is my home. You always want to see your home do better.

“I don’t think that I am special in any particular way. The party made a call and I was happy to answer the call to be part of the democratic screening process. I believe in the vision of the UNC and I believe it is the best vehicle to take the country forward.”