Senior political reporter
United National Congress Marabella West councillor John Michael Alibocus will today submit his nomination papers seeking to contest San Fernando West for the Opposition in next year’s general elections.
That seat is currently held by the People’s national Movement’s Faris Al-Rawi.
“They once said that I couldn’t win Marabella West and now I’m the councillor. So, in the same way I made history winning Marabella West for UNC, I’m confident I can bring home San Fernando West for UNC,” Alibocus said yesterday, as he prepared for today’s trip to UNC’s head office in Chaguanas to submit the nomination.
Entertainer/businessman Alibocus (aka “Makamillion, the Great White”) is among UNC members submitting nominations on the party’s home stretch to the nomination deadline on Thursday. Also expected to submit a nomination for SF West is Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial-Ramdial.
Some 200-plus nomination forms have been sought since last December when nominations opened. Most incumbent MPs have and are submitting nominations. There are reportedly multiple nominees for UNC-held seats.
Despite a rift with the leadership, MPs Rushton Paray (Mayaro) and supporter Anita Haynes-Alleyne (Tabaquite) are expected to file nominations. Dr Rai Ragbir (Cumuto Manzanilla) will submit his on Thursday. Rodney Charles (Naparima) isn’t contesting, since he said he’ll be out of active politics after the general election. Dinesh Rambally (Chaguanas West) is also expected not to seek nomination.
Rambally, legal adviser to the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS), has had issues with the leadership and deputy leader on SDMS issues.
The UNC has only won the SF West seat in 2000 general election with Sadiq Baksh. He lost it in the 2002 general election to the PNM’s Diane Seukeran. It was won by the NAR (1986) and COP (2010) but was won by the PNM in all other elections since 1956 and is now held by PNM’s Al-Rawi.
Alibocus, who’s from San Fernando’s 100-year-old “Charlies’ Black Pudding” family, said, “My dream was always to be in politics and be an MP. Growing up in San Fernando West as a child of the ‘ground’, I remember going to school at Naparima College, playing football in Skinner Park with St Madeleine Strikers and the Old Boys’, basketball with the Carlton Lane team. San Fernando’s where my heart is. I’d like the opportunity to give back my support to San Fernando West.”
Alibocus, 40, who’s been networking SF West already, added, “I want to bring back the love into communities, hope for the youths, showing them that we can do it and achieve anything with focus and work towards. My focus is the youths and how we might develop the areas, give more jobs, deterring people from crime and being misled.”
He added, “Being a T&T ambassador in the entertainment industry, I’ve always been a popular figure to youths. My entry is to seek to raise the politics to a different level and bring in the youths who want a voice and a positive future. I feel people 18 to 40 will be the focus in this election. God is always in control of your destiny no matter what - you just have to believe in yourself, have faith and He’ll clear your path to success.”