PNM's Princes Town candidate biggest spender for general election

THE UNSUCCESSFUL PNM candidate for Princes Town, Rocklyn Mohammed, had the highest expenditure of any candidate for the April 28 general election.

Mohammed, who challenged the UNC's Aiyna Ali for the seat, had expenditure which exceeded that of more seasoned politicians such as Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles. Mohammed spent $60,682.02 on his campaign.

This information is contained in the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) summary of return of election expenses for the April 28 general election.

The summary was published on June 20.

The UNC won the election with 26 constituencies. The PNM retained 13 and the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) won two. There was no information published about the TTP's campaign costs.

The UNC's Vandana Mohit, who retained the Chaguanas East constituency in the election, had the second highest expenditure with $53,000.

Successful UNC Mayaro candidate Nicholas Morris spent $52,400 while the PNM's San Fernando East successful candidate Brian Manning spent $50,420.

Conversely, PNM's unsuccessful candidate for Caroni Central Adam Nicholas Hosein reported spending no money on his campaign. The UNC's David Lee (now Housing Minister) reported spending $49,935,18 on his campaign.

Patriotic Front's Diego Martin North/East candidate Chelsie Cedeno also reported no spending for her campaign. The PNM's Colm Imbert, who retained the seat, spent $49,708.13.

Persad-Bissessar, who was re-elected as Siparia MP, had an expenditure of $45,900.

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo, who was elected Fyzabad MP, spent $47,527.85.

Former trade unionist Clyde Elder, who contested the election for the first time, spent $47,925 in his successful campaign to be elected UNC La Brea MP.

His expenditure was surpassed by fellow former trade unionist Ernesto Kesar, who spent $49,200 in his successful bid to become UNC Point Fortin MP.

Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives and Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath, who is also Couva South MP, spent $49,543.

The lowest spending UNC candidate was Robert Mitchell, who unsuccessfully contested the Laventille East/Morvant constituency. The PNM's Christian Birchwood, who won the seat, spent $49,980.69.

On the PNM side, Beckles’ election expenditure was $49,850.

Former prime minister and energy minister Stuart Young’s election expenditure was $48,000.

He was re-elected as Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP on April 28. Young has been MP since September 7, 2015.

Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) leader Phillip Edward Alexander, who unsuccessfully contested Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West, spent $49,700.

Alexander was appointed a government senator and a Minister in the Housing Ministry after the election.