Three vie for UNC's nod for San Fernando West

AT least three public figures have offered themselves to be the UNC candidate for San Fernando West in the 2025 general elections. Newsday visited the UNC headquarters in Chaguanas on the evening of November 29, where screening was due to take place for the San Fernando seat.

Those who told Newsday they were screening for San Fernando West were Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial, former principal of Naparima College Dr Michael Dowlath and Marabella West councillor John Michael "Makamillion" Alibocus.

The seat is now held by Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi who in the 2020 elections had beaten the UNC's Sean Sobers by a 1,807-vote margin, the PNM polling 8,457 votes to the UNC's 6,651.

Also being screened were Chaguanas East, now represented by Vandana Mohit, and Barataria/San Juan, now held by Saddam Hosein.

Both Mohit and Hosein spoke confidently to reporters of the work the Opposition had done and their support to displace the PNM from the government.

Screening kicked off at 7.30 pm when Princes Town MP Barry Padarath summoned the constituency executive for Barataria/San Juan.