[UPDATED] Ramadharsingh ready to return to politics

FORMER Caroni Central Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh says he felt energised to be returning to electoral politics. He spoke at the UNC's headquarters in Chaguanas on February 17.

Ramadharsingh, a former social development minister in the UNC-led People's Partnership (PP) coalition government, made a commitment in an interview last March to contest Caroni Central in this year's general election.

In a video circulated last week on social media, Ramadharsingh confirmed he had submitted his papers to be considered as the UNC's Caroni Central candidate in the election. He said he is seeking to contest for people who want change and progress.

"This can only be achieved by people who have served well, coming back to serve the communities under a new prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

"I intend to put my hat in the ring. But I intend for you (UNC members) to make that choice whether you want change."

He promised to "restore social justice to TT."

Ramadharsingh was Caroni Central MP from May 2010-September 2015. Persad-Bissessar fired him as a minister in March 2014 after a flight attendant made allegations of inappropriate physical contact against him.

In 2022, Ramadharsingh unsuccessfully contested the UNC’s party organiser post as an independent candidate in the party's internal elections.

Last year, he repeated his support for Persad-Bissessar as UNC political leader.

Pointing to the large crowd of supporters, Ramadharsingh said, "I have a hurricane of political support."

He was not fazed about going up against incumbent Caroni Central MP Arnold Ram, who also submitted his nomination to stand for re-election. Ram was elected MP in August 2020.

He was confident of being chosen as the Caroni Central candidate again.

Incumbent Couva North and Couva South MPs Ravi Ratiram and Rudranath Indarsingh both said they were confident of being selected to stand for re-election in their respective constituencies.

Ratiram repeated his concerns about a food security crisis.

He supported GPS devices being given to fishermen to improve their safety.

Attorney Kiel Taklalsingh, who is also being screened for Couva North, did not believe his candidacy on the United Patriots slate in last year's UNC internal elections put him at a disadvantage.

'We are a democratic party'

Indarsingh said he has the unanimous support of his constituents and was not afraid of any competition.

He added he has the support of Christopher Boodram, the lone survivor of the Paria diving tragedy three years ago. Boodram's fellow divers Rishi Nagassar, Kazim Ali Jnr, Yusef Henry and Fyzabal Kurban were killed when they were sucked into a 30-inch pipeline they were working on.

Indarsingh claimed the Prime Minister and Energy Minister Stuart Young have mistreated Boodram and the families of the other divers by not ensuring they received compensation for their loss.

He claimed the energy sector has become a "killing field" under Young, as he repeated his criticisms of efforts to recover the body of Well Services worker Pete Phillip, who has been missing since the offshore rig he was working on partially collapsed in December.

Young has been selected to succeed Dr Rowley as prime minister.

Ramadharsingh, Ratiram, Ram and Indarsingh arrived for screening with large groups of supporters, dancers, tassa drummers and music trucks.

To date, the UNC has selected eight candidates.