The people of Diego Martin West are calling for Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne to replace incumbent Dr Keith Rowley as their MP.
With Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on his way out, the People’s National Movement (PNM) is yet to announce when screening for the Diego Martin West constituency will be held.
Rowley has said he will not be making any recommendations for prospective candidates.
However, some of his constituents already have their own suggestions on who should be their next MP.
When Guardian Media visited the constituency yesterday, the consensus was Browne was the best man for the job.
From Bagatelle to Glencoe and Carnage to Chaguaramas, many constituents praised Browne for being a scandal-free statesman.
One Richplain Road resident said, “Dr Amery Browne is my choice. He’s been groomed by Mr Patrick Manning himself and he has no scandal to his name that I know of and he’s carried himself very well. He’s a statesman. He’s represented the country very well. He’s prime minister-like.”
Carange resident, David Mark said, “Brown is a good one. He is a respectable fella. He has leadership qualities but he might be too soft. But, in the whole party, I think Browne is about the best choice if you’re looking for moral values, so to speak.”
When Guardian Media reached out to Browne for his reaction to the calls by residents for him to be their next MP, he said, “This is an important time of transition in the history of the PNM and in the political history of Trinidad and Tobago. You can be confident that in every constituency across this nation, the Party will continue to make the best possible decisions ... looking at the big picture which is not about me as an individual, and looking ahead to the next election, the next administration, and the next generation.”
Before becoming Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister and a Senator, Browne served as MP for Diego Martin Central for two terms from 2007 to 2015.
But some constituents said they preferred someone who has been doing the groundwork in Diego Martin West, like a councillor.
“The best person to represent us is the person who represented us at the local government level and that is Katty Christopher. She served three terms. She came in as a councillor and left as a master,” said resident Curvis Sinnette.
Christopher was a PNM councillor for Covigne/Richplain.
Diego Martin West is considered a PNM-stronghold constituency.
Rowley has been MP since 1991.
However, there were some constituents who called for a candidate from another party to represent them.
