Constituents want to hear PNM candidate’s plans – La Brea doesn’t know Mitchell


SOME constituents said they are prepared to give Randall Mitchell an ear to heard his plans to improve the overall quality of life in La Brea if he is elected as MP in this year's general election.
This even though Mitchell, the Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister, may be regarded as an unknown quantity in this PNM stronghold constituency.
These were the views expressed by some La Brea constituents on January 27, days after it was announced that Mitchell was selected as the PNM's La Brea candidate.
Newsday visited La Brea on Monday January 27, to get the views of constituents on the PNM's choice of candidate for that constituency. To date, the UNC has not named a candidate for La Brea.
A former San Fernando East MP (September 2015-August 2020), he was selected during screening at Balisier House, Port of Spain on January 23.
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At Pt Dor Junction, La Brea, vendor Olivia Charles, 44, said she was not impressed with the performance of incumbent MP Stephen McClashie who was elected in the general election of 2020.

McClashie, the Labour Minister, offered himself to be nominated as candidate but the party's screening committee rejected him.
Charles, who has been selling aloo pies and fresh juices at the junction since December, said, "For me, I don't find that he did much. She was concerned there were not enough opportunities for young people in La Brea.
"They could have some programmes for the youths to get them off the streets."
Asked if she knew about Mitchell, Charles replied, "I don't have any information about Mr Mitchell." Charles, who has lived in La Brea for 20 years, said, "The same thing I thought for Mr McClashie, I can say for Mr Mitchell. Let's give him a chance and see."
A man who declined to give his name said the last La Brea MP he had any significant interaction with was Hedwige Bereaux, the MP from 1991-2002.
The man said he sought assistance from Bereaux to do an engineering course, did not get any help, and had to do things on his own. He had no view on Mitchell's suitability or whether he could be a good MP.
The man, who also said he was a contractor, hoped whichever candidate comes seeking the vote of constituents would advance serious programmes to get young people involved in sustainable employment with companies based in La Brea and environs.
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Craft vendor Ricky Thomas, 64, who has lived in La Brea for 40 years, viewed the background of a candidate as an asset to them being elected MP.

"Their background shall help them along with that post, because they can't come into a post without a background."
He said McClashie had done nothing to improve the lives of La Brea constituents over the last five years.
"Nothing at all. Nothing to be shown. If you patch a road here and there, that does not mean that everything is fixed."
Thomas did not know about Mitchell's track record in government both as an MP and senator.
But he was optimistic that whoever is La Brea's MP would improve things for the people.
"I wouldn't like to think that he (Mitchell) could. I am saying yes, things could be better. It has enough that things could be better in the community here in La Brea." Thomas was willing to listen to Mitchell's plans for the constituency.
As he wove some bamboo hats for sale, Thomas spoke about some things he would like to see in La Brea.
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"Trade school, because without trade you have nothing. If we have a trade school in the community, I think that will help."

Thomas said young people need to be trained in skills which will help them find sustainable jobs.
He added that when they graduate from trade school, they should be equipped with the tools they need to do the jobs they were trained for.
While La Brea has been a PNM stronghold constituency for years, Thomas said the party has not treated it with the respect it should have.
"All the people are complaining. Everyone complains that PNM does nothing for La Brea, and imagine, La Brea was the first town in Trinidad."
Thomas said many people do not know La Brea had a courthouse before the neighbouring Point Fortin constituency had one.
He added no political party should ever take for granted that certain constituencies will always vote for it.
Former public utilities minister and former PNM vice-chairman Robert Le Hunte, who served alongside Mitchell in the cabinet between 2015 and 2020, expressed his support for Mitchell's candidacy.
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In a WhatsApp comment on January 24, Le Hunte said, "To understand the suitability of Mr Mitchell is to first understand the links between the communities and constituencies of Fyzabad, La Brea and Point Fortin. That being the oil industry and its linkage together via the network of oilfield roads."
He also said, "It is not widely known that Mr Mitchell lived and went to school during his formative years in this constituency, and his father was a senior member of the oil industry in that constituency." Le Hunte said Mitchell's father Victor was also a past mayor of Point Fortin.
"By extension, Mr Mitchell lived in that area for a large part of his life."
Before his current ministerial portfolio, Mitchell was housing and urban development minister and public administration minister. For these reasons, Le Hunte described him as a solid candidate.
"Having commanded the majority support from the constituency, I am confident with their support and his ability he would be able to serve the people of that very large and geographically diverse constituency."
Mitchell got the nod from the PNM's screening committee ahead of nominee Jermel Pierre, who afterwards wished Mitchell well.
After losing the candidacy, Pierre according to a Newsday report dated January 24, said, "We weren't victorious in the sense that my candidacy was not selected to represent the constituency, but I continue to be of service." He wished Mitchell well and hoped that La Brea receives effective representation.
After being selected, Mitchell was confident he would retain this stronghold constituency for the PNM.
"It's not about being born and bred. It's about service and representation. Being born and bred somewhere doesn't necessarily mean that you can represent it well," Mitchell said, according to the Newsday report.
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To date, the PNM has selected 34 candidates. Screening continued on Monday at Balisier House, the PNM's headquarters.
PNM candidates so far:
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
Chaguanas West – Winston Mahabir
Couva North – Brent Maraj
Couva South – Aaron Mohammed
Fyzabad – Kheron Khan
La Brea – Randall Mitchell
La Horquetta/Talparo – Foster Cummings
Laventille East/Morvant-Christian Birchwood
Laventille West – Kareem Marcelle
Lopinot/Bon Air West – Marvin Gonzales
Mayaro – Beatrice Bridglal
Moruga/Tableland – Lisa Atwater
Naparima – Sarah Nangoo
Oropouche East – Richard Ragbir
Oropouche West – Shawn Dube
Point Fortin – Kennedy Richards Jnr
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
Tobago East – Ayanna Webster-Roy
Tobago West – Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis
Toco/Sangre Grande – Roger Munroe
Tunapuna – Esmond Forde