Constituents of Chaguanas West are seemingly divided by the decision of their MP, Dinesh Rambally, to withdraw his candidacy from the upcoming general election.
Guardian Media visited several parts of the constituency yesterday—a day after Rambally announced his withdrawal, citing concerns about the party’s alleged racial rhetoric and unprofessionalism.
Randy Lal, 40, said he won’t be missing Rambally.
“I think it’s a good thing that he is stepping out of the party because, I mean, you don’t really see him. You go to the office for help, and he is not there,” he said.
Lal dismissed Rambally’s claims of racial rhetoric within the party.
“I don’t think that makes sense because, I mean, Kamla does help everybody. The UNC party does help everybody; everybody does benefit,” he said.
Another constituent, Adil Azim, stood with Rambally, agreeing with his decision to walk away.
“He is damn right. He is right because he knows. He’s inside there. He knows what is happening there … He is not going up again, and that’s a good thing. He’s a man with character,” Azim said.
Asked who he would like to replace Rambally, he asked for former People’s Partnership minister Jack Warner.
Henry Lewis, 71, of Pierre Road, laughed when asked about Rambally’s claims of racial rhetoric in the UNC.
“Racism is in both parties … This racism thing shouldn’t really be around. We should all live as one,” Lewis said.
“I say, well, he’s probably had enough, and this thing they have now, he doesn’t like, so he just decided to withdraw.”
Rawati Balkissoon, 62, said while she doesn’t know Rambally, she doubts there’s racism present in the Opposition.
“There’s no racialness. Why are you bringing out a racial thing when there’s no racialness? Rambally withdrawing is not a problem. If he wants to withdraw, that is his problem because he has social issues,” she said.
Analyst: Nonplussed
by MP’s stance
Meanwhile, political analyst Dr Winford James said he was unconvinced by Rambally’s stance. He said there was nothing in Rambally’s claims about unprofessionalism and racism that resonates or can be substantiated.
“I am a bit nonplussed, not that I can’t understand that people can change their minds, but I don’t get the sense that I am being spoken to clearly. Except the only clear thing I’m getting here is that he’s withdrawn his offer, but the reasons and the bases for which he has withdrawn don’t seem to be particularly compelling,” Dr James said.
James said it was likely that some people would question Rambally’s motives for coming forward with the claims now. He said, after all, several UNC dissidents attempted to convince the membership in the last internal election but failed to do so.
“I don’t think Rambally has said enough to make us understand easily why he is withdrawing,” Dr James said.
