PNM San Fernando West candidate Faris Al-Rawi says information of alleged voter intimidation and gangsterism by the UNC has been brought to the attention of the police and the party's attorneys.
He made this statement in a video posted on Facebook on April 25.
Al-Rawi said he has received information from residents of Embacadere about gangsters pretending to be police officers, engaging in voter intimidation.
"We have passed this information to our attorneys because we intend to act upon it."
He said, "There is another serious concern where people are literally coming and asking young people to take their ID card and to have it kept, the weekend until Tuesday (April 29), for $1,200."
Al-Rawi, a former attorney general, added, "That is equal to an offence and we are taking this matter very seriously."
He said, "Voter intimidation and voter purchase will not be tolerated and worse yet. voter gangsterism cannot be tolerated."
Al-Rawi described this situation as reprehensible.
He claimed the UNC has destroyed several PNM posters in the same places where its posters were placed.
"It really is a kind of campaign from that perspective that I have not seen before."
Al-Rawi said he has run a clean campaign in San Fernando West which he has represented as MP since September 7, 2015."
He added he has not disparaged his UNC opponent Michael Dowlath at any time during the campaign and will not do so as the campaign draws to an end.
Al-Rawi repeated, "Voter intimidation...gangsterism...bringing in thugs...having people pass themselves off as police (officers)...having certain people attend your campaign office...and we have the videos of it...and the evidence of it."
He said, "We are asking law enforcement to please pay careful attention and to not find themselves involved with people passing themselves off...or people who are off duty...passing themselves off as on-service police or other forces."
These allegations, Al-Rawi continued, are very serious, are being investigated and action will be taken.
He was confident the election will be free and fair.
Al-Rawi said there no need for anyone to engage in violence to win votes.
"This is where you take your licks and just move along."
On April 4, Al-Rawi claimed the UNC had allocated $1.5 million to influence voters in San Fernando West to support the party.
On April 23, he said those efforts had intensified.
At the opening of a new fishing centre in San Fernando on April 5, Prime Minister Stuart Young supported the statements Al-Rawi made one day earlier. He said the party had information the UNC was engaging in several tactics to persuade people to voter to it and members of its "coalition of interests" on April 28.
At a PNM public meeting in Sangre Grande on April 24, Young said the party received information about UNC agents moving across certain constituencies with fake red electoral ink and bribing people to stain their fingers so they could not vote.
Dowlath has previously maintained the UNC is running a clean campaign in San Fernando West.
UNC deputy leader Dr Roodal Moonilal last week claimed Young's remarks were a sign the PNM has conceded the election.
