The UNC is hoping that the widow of one of the divers in the Paria diving tragedy will take home a marginal seat in the Couva/Tabaquite/ Talparo Regional Corporation (CTTRC) in the upcoming Local Government Elections.
Vanessa Kussie, 48, the widow of Rishi Nagessar, showed up with an entourage of UNC supporters to file for the seat of Couva West/ Roystonia at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Monday.
Couva West/Roystonia is one of the new seats created by the EBC in the CTTRC. The area has one of two marginal seats, the other being Savonetta/Point Lisas.
Rishi Nagessar was part of a five-member team who went missing while working on a 30-inch underwater crude oil pipeline in Pointe-a-Pierre on February 25, 2022. Diver Christopher Boodram was rescued shortly after the incident on February 25, 2022. The bodies of Fyzal Kurban, Kazim Ali Jr and Yusuf Henry were recovered on February 28, 2022. Nagessar's body was found early on March 3, 2022.
Kussie said she offered herself for election because she believed that she would be the one to win the Couva West/ Balmain seat for her political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Kussie said, “I believe in woman power! I believe what I have gone through, what I have been through for these 16 months, I believe that I can make a big change for our party.”
Kussie said she plans to campaign on unity and people power in the coming weeks. Kussie said her family was surprised when she announced her political intentions, but they were willing to work with her on this campaign. She added, “I have full support of my family and friends and people of my neighborhood. Everybody who knows now, knows I am going to be the candidate.”
Kussie has three sons including a four-year-old with Nagessar. Kussie said the community has a lot of issues to be resolved. When asked what she plans to do if faced with a lack of resources, she said, “We will work towards that when that time reaches.”
Couva South MP, Rudy Indarsingh, said Kussie has been a committed member of the community. “She has confidence in the leadership of Mrs Kamla Persad- Bissessar and the vision of the UNC and what we have to offer the country from a local government point of view,” he said. Indarsingh said the Roystonia/Couva West area suffers from a number of issues as bad roads, drainage and crime because of the failure of the Central Government to release funds to the CTTRC to uplift the community.
Kussie goes up against Lynise Burnett-Packette of the PNM who was the first to file nomination papers. Burnett-Packette arrived with an army of PNM supporters who escorted her with the sounds of African drums.
Burnett-Packette said she is confident of winning.
Arlene Solomon-Ramesar of the UNC will be going up against Sharda Satram of the PNM for the Couva East/ Balmain seat. Solomon Ramesar said this would be her fourth time at the polls. She said one of the biggest challenges would have been funding. She said the PNM government failed to send releases to the CTTRC. However, the party sought alternative ways to assist the community. She added, “We have not been depending on the government to serve our burgesses.”.
Satram contested the last General Election for the seat of Couva North. Satram, 32, a contractor who is also a cultural and social activist, said she is confident to get the Balmain seat for the PNM.
Rajendra Gosine, the PNM’s candidate for Savonetta/Point Lisas goes up against the incumbent Ramchand Rajbal Maraj of the UNC.
Gosine said, “Rajbal has outlived that usefulness as a councillor. I believe that I have the opportunity because my party is in government and that would give me that advantage.” Gosine, who is no newcomer to politics, said he is expecting the PNM to get four seats on the CTTRC.” Gosine said the filing process was simple. Rajbal Maraj said he is confident of winning now that he knows who he is coming up against. Rajbal Maraj said the CTTRC has been starved of resources while a number of issues such as crime and unemployment are not being addressed.