The United National Congress’s (UNC) candidate for St Augustine Khadijah Ameen is confident she will bring home the seat.
“I represented St Augustine South for ten years. I lived and grew with them. I have been with them through floods, rain, through good times and bad times. St Augustine is home for me. I will continue my work as a deputy political leader to support our candidates wherever they are but certainly, it is not only about winning the election but representing the people.
“What is significant is to ensure the UNC representatives be the voice of the people within their constituency.”
She said returning to the area where she was born and grew up was a reassuring feeling as she is surrounded by loved ones and residents whose support she is counting on to retain control of the UNC stronghold.
Addressing supporters at her childhood home at the corner of Joyeau and Mc Inroy Streets, Curepe, on Saturday as she launched her election campaign with a walkabout, Ameen said although she could not host any large gatherings, it was her ambition to meet every resident within the constituency to hear what they needed from her as a representative.
During her brief remarks, she said, “I will not take any person for granted.”
Standing shoulder to shoulder with her parents, Mohammed and Hazel Ameen and her son, Jeremiah, Ameen said she planned to be very present in the community in the run-up to the August 10 election.
Confident of the party’s success in the election, she claimed the UNC’s slate of candidates was a good mix.
Responding to the continued denials by the ruling administration that UNC supporters who remained outside of T&T were deliberately not being granted exemptions to return home in time to cast their vote, Ameen said, “I have a big concern that citizens of T&T who want to vote will not be allowed to vote because they are not being given permission to enter T&T. It applies across the board because every citizen does have a right to vote.”
She agreed that returning nationals should be quarantined as per health requirements but in order to qualify to vote, she said they had to return by a certain date.
She urged National Security Minister Stuart Young to stop politicking and granted exemptions to citizens who want to return in time to vote.