Al-Rawi: UNC will implode in 12 months

MOMENTS after conceding to the victorious San Fernando West candidate Dr Michael Dowlath on the night of April 28, and before the new government is sworn in, outgoing MP Faris Al-Rawi said he was giving the new Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led administration 12 months to implode.

During his concession speech to few loyal supporters who remained in his camp on Independence Avenue as the ballot counting reflected a loss for the People's National Movement (PNM), Al-Rawi gave notice of a possible recount.

"The numbers that I looked at across the polling divisions demonstrates that the UNC barely increased its votes from 2015 and 2020."

He explained that on election day, "what happened is that a lot of our people stayed at home so even though we won the vast majority of the polling divisions, in the heavy UNC areas of Gulf View and La Romaine, they performed as they usually do.

"That means we may have about 500 votes, that might mean we may very well do a recount.

"We are going to look at the figures and see where we are, because relatively speaking that is not much of a defeat."

He did not respond to messages from the Newsday on April 29 about whether he was still pursuing the recount.

Al-Rawi told his sad supporters that his campaign was clean and wonderful, and called on them to accept the democratic will of the country.

"This is certainly not the first time the PNM has lost an election and probably won't be the last."

He recalled that he did not join the party in its glory days, but in 2010 when Persad-Bissessar first defeated the late Patrick Manning, when the party was completely broken.

"Any time there is a pause and a time for reflection, I think it is a time to build and grow. I genuinely believe this is a time we need to recalibrate a whole bunch of things."

He said the PNM is strong and is certain it will rise again.

He said he is not sad or hurt by his or his or his party's loss.

"I feel a bit sorry for the many people who don't know what they just did, because San Fernando West has lost his grip."

Al-Rawi said he was fearful for the many people who will be put out of employment and the promise made by Persad-Bissessar to cancel the housing project for the Waterfront.

"I give the UNC a maximum of 12 months to implode because I cannot for the life of me see them holding the line of reasonableness or performance. But this is the democratic will of the people, and we accept it one hundred per cent."

In contrast to the sombre atmosphere in the PNM camp, just across the road in the UNC camp was great rejoicing, as first time entrant into politics, Dowlath savoured his victory with family, friends and supporters.