THE PNM has so far selected 32 candidates for next year’s general election when 41 constituencies are due to be contested.
These were listed in a statement on December 4.
On December 2, the party called for nominations for the constituencies of Tobago East and Tobago West, and reopened nominations for the constituencies of La Brea and Laventille East/Morvant, with submission for all seats to be made 12 noon on December 20.
The statement said the PNM will field 41 “competent candidates” for the general election, to offer “credible representation” thereby offering all of the people in Trinidad and Tobago, in every single constituency, credible options for effective representation.
Newsday sought to explore the electoral landscape in the Diego Martin seats as of December 4.
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Minister of Communications Symon de Nobriga, the Diego Martin Central MP, when asked if he would consider offering himself for renomination, replied yes. Saying party groups had inquired of him, he told the Newsday he was very willing, while acknowledging the selection was up to the constituency executive and the party’s screening committee.
Finance Minister Colm Imbert – as has long become the norm – issued an irate social media post to confirm his intention to seek renomination, while criticising a news reporter for inquiring of the Diego Martin North East constituency executive.
Otherwise, the Newsday had sought to inquire of constituency chairman Spencer Tardieu but repeated calls to his phone plus inquiries via WhatsApp went unanswered.
Imbert has long blocked reporters from his mobile phone and from WhatsApp and in some cases from his X account, so he cannot be contacted directly. Yet whenever he takes offence to any story about him or his ministry, he uses social media to blast the very same reporters whom he blocked and thus prevented from getting his comment.
Newsday spoke to Jackie Lazarus, chairman of the Diego Martin West constituency, the seat held by the prime minister, in light of Dr Rowley alluding to his “swan song” during his contribution to the budget debate in the House of Representatives on October 10.
At that sitting, the PM identified with UNC Mayaro MP Rushton Paray who also signalled his swan song.
Rowley had said, “I too, may be a swan. But ladies and gentlemen, colleagues in this House, as long as I could leave here having done the best for the people of Trinidad and Tobago, it doesn’t matter when I leave. But I will leave with my head held high!
“I don’t know how much longer I will have in this Parliament, but I have done my duty and I have kept the course.
“I have run the race. I look forward not for a pot of gold, but for my family, at the end of this rainbow.”
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Lazarus suggested to Newsday that it was still early days on Rowley.
“The party has not called for nominations in the Diego Martin areas as yet and there is no vacancy at the moment.
“So we have not activated any activity that does not include the current MP as the MP for the area. Until such time as we can see it is formally announced – until he formally says he is not going to be accepting any nomination for the constituency – only then will we kick in (and) seek to source a new candidate.“But in the meantime absolutely nothing.”
Newsday asked if Lazarus wished to offer any personal sentiment on Rowley’s future.
Lazarus replied, “Well, I would refrain from making any comment on that at this time. I am very supportive of whatever decision he takes. If he wishes to retire, I am good with that. If he wishes to stay on he will continue to have my full support.
“He is very experienced and very wise politically, I think.”
Newsday sent a WhatsApp message to Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Senator Dr Amery Browne, to ask if he might vie for any seat in Diego Martin where he had once been Diego Martin Central MP. But up to Wednesday evening, he was yet to reply.
Newsday asked a senior PNM source whether Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds might seek a nomination for the Laventille East/Morvant seat whose incumbent Adrian Leonce was not screened, due to a family emergency.
Hinds is the Laventille West MP but has not sought the candidacy for that seat. He was once also the Laventille East/Morvant MP.
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Recently, Hinds’ constituency’s PNM women’s group opted to support attorney Kareem Marcelle as prospective candidate and soon after, Rowley said Hinds was bowing out of electoral politics after family talks.
The source told the Newsday that ultimately, Hinds had been supported by most party groups in Laventille West, but had still opted to bow out. The source perceived no link between Hinds’ political future and Leonce’s own decision to bow out of the race to represent Laventille East/Morvant. Calls to Hinds’ phone went unanswered.
Those nominated are:
Arima – Pennelope Beckles
Arouca/Maloney – Camille Robinson-Regis
Barataria/ San Juan – Dr Muhammad Yunus Ibrahim
Caroni Central – Adam Hosein
Caroni East – Leena Rampersad
Chaguanas East – Richie Sookhai
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Chaguanas West – Winston Mahabir
Couva North – Brent Maraj
Couva South – Aaron Mohammed
Cumuto/Manzanilla – Nadia Ramatahai Singh
D’Abadie/O’Meara – Lisa Morris-Julien
Fyzabad – Kheron Khan
La Horquetta/Talparo – Foster Cummings
Laventille West – Kareem Marcelle
Lopinot/Bon Air West – Marvin Gonzales
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Mayaro – Beatrice Bridglal
Moruga/Tableland – Lisa Atwater
Naparima – Sarah Nangoo
Oropouche East – Richard Ragbir
Oropouche West – Shawn Dube
Point Fortin – Kennedy Richards Jr.
Pointe-a-Pierre – Mukesh Ramsingh
Princes Town – Rocklyn Mohammed
San Fernando East – Brian Manning
San Fernando West – Faris Al Rawi
St. Ann’s East – Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly
St. Augustine – Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal
St. Joseph – Terrence Deyalsingh
Siparia – Natasha Mohammed
Tabaquite – Anil Ramjit
Toco/Sangre Grande – Roger Munroe
Tunapuna – Esmond Forde
