PM: PNM candidates ready for nomination day

PRIME Minister Stuart Young says the PNM and its 41 candidates are fully prepared to file their nominations on April 4.

In contrast, Young said the Opposition UNC and its allies are in complete disarray.

He made these comments to the media after participating in Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations at the Macoon Street Mosque, Victoria Village on March 31.

Young was sworn in as prime minister on March 17, one day after Dr Keith Rowley resigned from that post.

On March 18, Young advised President Christine Kangaloo, in accordance with the Constitution, to dissolve the Parliament.

April 28 was announced as general election day, with April 4 being nomination day.

After participating in a nomination day dry run held by the Elections and Boundaries Commission at Belmont Secondary School on March 24, Young said all 41 PNM candidates were briefed on March 24 about what they had to do and he expected they would participate in this exercise in their respective constituencies.

He repeated this confidence on March 31. Young, who is PNM chairman and the party’s Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West candidate (and incumbent MP) also repeated his lack of surprise about what is happening with the UNC’s selection of candidates.

“What you are seeing there is a good comparison for people in Trinidad and Tobago to make.

“You have seen that the PNM had all 41 of their candidates at a run through last week with the EBC, go through that process. We are all prepared.”

The PNM presented its full slate of candidates at a special convention and rally at Woodford Square, Port of Spain on March 16.

Young said, “So everyone is ready for Friday (April 4) on the PNM side. The population was told, the day before I was sworn in, who our 41 candidates are. We presented ourselves (on March 16). Some of us spoke to the population.”

He added the population has seen the PNM as an organised and disciplined party, operating in accordance with its constitution and how efficiently things are operating within the PNM.

Young asked the population to compare this with “what you are seeing on the other side.”

He said, “You have not seen 41 candidates. All 41 candidates are not from one party.

“You are literally seeing pick up sides of persons from different parties.

“We are still seeing people coming forward. You are not sure.”

Referring to the selection of former supt Roger Alexander as the UNC’s Tunapuna candidate on March 29, without mentioning his name, Young said, “A police officer. Was he screened (by the UNC as a nominee), was he not screened?

“You have a lot of confusion it seems to be.”

Neither he nor the PNM are distracted by this.

“I am focused on us going to the polls with the 41 PNM candidates and winning the election.”

Alexander resigned from the police service on March 26.

Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the service’s regulations debar any serving police officer from becoming involved in active politics.

They added Alexander may have been screened by the UNC after he resigned but did not know whether he was a party member.

Other sources claimed the UNC was considering a former senior police officer to be a candidate for Chaguanas West.

The constituency’s incumbent MP is attorney Dinesh Rambally, one of five UNC MPs who have publicly questioned party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s ability to lead the UNC to victory on April 28.

The others are Rushton Paray, Anita Haynes-Alleyne, Rodney Charles and Dr Rai Ragbir.

Charles, the incumbent Naparima MP, is not standing for re-election.

Paray was rejected on March 29 as UNC’s Mayaro candidate in favour of the party’s international relations officer Nicholas Morris.

In a subsequent statement, Paray said this was not goodbye but “see you soon.”

Rambally and Ragbir withdrew as nominees for their respective Chaguanas West and Cumuto/Manzanilla constituencies.