As Thursday’s deadline for the United National Congress’ general election nominations looms, nominees for the Naparima seat—from which MP Rodney Charles is retiring after elections—include UNC Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial, and an alderman and doctor are also expected ahead as well.
This was signalled following Guardian Media checks in some areas yesterday. The UNC opened nominations last December for all 41 constituencies for the general election. This closes on Thursday evening.
At this Friday’s Parliament sitting, the Election and Boundaries Commission’s report on the Review of Constituency Boundaries will be laid pursuant to Section 72 of the Constitution. UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar recently called out the EBC and Government on this.
Up to recently, well over 200 nomination packages—nomination forms and other information UNC nominees need to submit—were issued to persons by the UNC’s head office.
A number of incumbent MPs have submitted nominations and a few are yet to do so. UNC officials confirmed there are multiple nominations for UNC-held seats and marginal seats, including St Joseph, San Fernando West, Tunapuna, Toco and Sangre Grande.
Among the latest to file nominations yesterday was Marabella West UNC councillor John Alibocus (Makamillion), who submitted his nomination for San Fernando West. Alibocus said last Friday that he was to have submitted it last Saturday but subsequently said the UNC’s office was closed then and he’d submit the form yesterday, which he did.
San Fernando West is expected to attract some “big names”, UNC sources said yesterday.
Lutchmedial, who lives in San Fernando West, is filing her nomination on Thursday for both Sando West and Naparima, it’s understood.
Current Naparima MP Charles said last December that he’d be out of active politics after the upcoming general election. As a result, a record number of nominees are expected for that seat, sources added.
Among those tipped to submit nominations for Naparima ahead are a former councillor and a well-known medical doctor whose practice extends to Naparima and environs.
UNC deputy leader David Lee—who’s on two criminal charges—didn’t answer query yesterday on if he’d seek nomination again for Pointe-a-Pierre.
From UNC’s 19 MPs, those known not to be seeking nomination again are Charles and Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally, though it’s understood some in Rambally’s area may wish him to contest. Those tipped to file nominations for Chaguanas West include at least two businesspeople, sources hinted.
Embattled Mayaro MP Rushton Paray is expected to file nomination. So too Cumuto Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir. Yesterday, Charles’ Naparima executive chairman Shazan Mohammed issued another statement repeating Paray’s call for UNC’s national executive elections, saying the majority of the executive “looks forward impatiently for the Natex date”. Two Naparima executive members—Rafi Mohammed and alderman Vashti Sookhoo—said recently they do not support that view.