Paray faces UNC screening committee

MAYARO MP Rushton Paray was unfazed by the possibility of not being chosen as the UNC's candidate for this year's general election.

He made this comment before he went before the UNC's screening committee in Chaguanas on February 17.

In a statement earlier in the day, Paray said he would be in Chaguanas at 6.30 pm and expected to be screened at 7 pm.

He added as a UNC member he was exercising his right and would allow the process to take its course.

Paray is one of five UNC MPs who have publicly questioned the ability of party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to lead the UNC to victory in the general election.

The others are Dinesh Rambally, Dr Rai Ragbir, Rodney Charles and Anita Haynes-Alleyne.

Charles is not standing for re-election as Naparima MP.

Rambally, Ragbir, Paray and Haynes-Alleyne filed nomination papers last year to contest their respective Chaguanas West, Cumuto/Manzanilla, Mayaro and Tabaquite constituencies.

Ragbir was scheduled to appear before the UNC's screening committee, chaired by Persad-Bissessar, in Chaguanas on February 14.

In a statement on February 13, Ragbir said he would not participate in the screening process because he cannot align himself with "a party that has abandoned its principles, rewards, mediocrity, shields those accused of wrongdoing, and punishes integrity."

He cited Persad-Bissessar's claims of a racist political plot in relation to matters raised in an ongoing legal matter with the Estate Management Business Development Company (EMBD).

On February 14, Persad-Bissessar said, "This is not a matter that law-enforcement authorities have brought to the courts. This is a civil matter that was brought to court by the Rowley hand-picked EMBD board and drafted by hand-picked PNM lawyers.

“It’s a propaganda piece to attack the UNC as ‘all them thieving Indians.’"

Persad-Bissessar repeated claims the PNM had historically used racial narratives to discredit the UNC and its supporters.

On February 11, the EMBD filed new allegations against former housing minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, several contractors, and former executives in the multi-million-dollar cartel claim lawsuit brought against them by the state-owned company.

The Prime Minister and National Transformation Alliance political leader Gary Griffith have criticised Persad-Bissessar's claims.

At a news conference on February 14, Dr Rowley said, "“I want to say something here to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, especially the East Indian population: you have nothing to fear from the rest of the population. The law would determine who is police and who is thief.”

Moonilal, who is also Oropouche East MP and a UNC deputy political leader, was screened as a nominee for the constituency on February 14.

UNC international relations officer Nicholas Morris and Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation chairman Raymond Cozier were also listed as nominees for Mayaro.

Morris said he was not about UNC internal politics, but about serving the constituency and the country. As a resident of Guayaguayare and a UNC member for 18 years, Morris was confident of getting a fair hearing before the committee.

To date, the UNC has selected eight candidates.

It held its first screening of nominees in Chaguanas on November 29.

Saddam Hosein, Vandana Mohit and Michael Dowlath were chosen as candidates for Barataria/San Juan, Chaguanas East and San Fernando West respectively.

Hosein and Mohit are the incumbent MPs for their constituencies.

A second screening took place in Chaguanas on December 12.

On December 22, the UNC announced the selection of John Michael Alibocas (San Fernando East); Dr Natalie Chaitan-Maharaj (Arouca/Lopinot); Richard Smith (Trincity/Maloney) and Devesh Maharaj (Aranjuez/St Joseph).

Former opposition senator Wayne Sturge is the UNC's Toco/Sangre Grande candidate.