UNC, NTA in unity walkabout in Barataria

In a show of unity, political leader of the National Transformation Alliance (NTA) Gary Griffith went on a walkabout with UNC local government election candidate for Warner Village, Barataria, Imran Khan in the Barataria area on Monday afternoon.

Khan vowed to tackle crime if elected.

The two were accompanied by San Juan/Barataria MP Saddam Hosein as well as candidates for the surrounding communities. Khan, Griffith and Hosein walked through Barataria greeting, speaking and listening to residents.

Khan, who is a businessman in Barataria, said the main problem is crime. He said after the 2020 general election, he wanted to be more involved in politics and decided to throw his hat in the local government election ring.

“Apart from a little flooding and road-cleaning, the main issue is crime. And we have a strategic plan to tackle crime. But we have to be elected first so we can action these plans."

Khan spoke of securing Barataria block by block. "This would see greater involvement and collaboration with the burgesses and the police."

Griffith said if this political collaboration between his party and the UNC sees them win control of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, the municipal police will be used to augment the police service in communities including Aranguez and Barataria.

Griffith said the coming-together of the two parties is part of a proven strategy that showed whenever there is a coalition, the PNM loses at the polls. This alliance, he said, is a strategic one and not a cosmetic plan to unseat PNM councillors in the hope of its being the groundwork to beat the PNM in the 2025 general election.

As the group toured the area, one resident, William “Bill” Small, a retired police officer who identified himself as a PNM supporter, had a brief conversation with Khan, Griffith and Hosein.

Small said he was not going to support the UNC as long as Kamla Persad-Bissessar remains the party's leader. Small told the group he supported Persad-Bissessar in 2010 but won't do so again.

He told Hosein the UNC was choosing party over country, unlike what was done in 2010, and for that reason, he was not going to support Khan.

“Allyuh not supporting anything that the PNM is doing. This is Trinidad, everybody living here, so if something is good for the country, why allyuh can’t support it? If something is good for the country, regardless of if you is opposition, you have to support it! It is for the country.

"Since when party is more important than country? No party is more important than the country,” Small said.

As the candidate and the supporters walked and talked with residents, Newsday asked Hosein about Khan's chances of unseating the PNM incumbent, Kimberly Small.

Admitting it would be a challenge, and with a change in the boundary, there will be a battle, Hosein said he remains confident in Khan’s ability.

“The PNM does not have the deed for San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation. So they must stop acting like they do. We, the UNC and NTA, we are coming for them. And all Trinidad and Tobago is ready to take back our country from this dreaded PNM government,” Hosein said.