Fallen ministers Chandresh Sharma, Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh and Anil Roberts will not form part of the People’s Partnership election slate for 2015, party insiders say. A top-level source, who requested anonymity, said integrity, party loyalty and service to humanity will be among some of the criteria being used by the interviewing panel for the selection of candidates for the election.
Although the People’s National Movement (PNM) has started screening candidates, the People’s Partnership has not yet announced a date for filing nominations. “The Prime Minister is busy with the toy drive right now, but we are certain that early next year arrangements will be made for screening to begin,” the source said. Based on the criteria, all potential candidates will undergo a rigorous interviewing session.
“We expect to do background checks on all potential candidates, including their qualifications, look at their loyalty to the political vision and the Prime Minister, as well as to look at what they have done to improve the lives of those around,” the source added.
Recent public scandals surrounding the former ministers make it highly unlikely they will be chosen to contest any seats, the source said. Saying there may be many new faces, the official said other ministers, including Clifton De Coteau, may also not be part of the new election team. De Coteau experienced slight swelling and bleeding to the brain in September last year as a result of hypertension.
“At this point nothing has been finalised, so we cannot say who will be included or not, but based on the criteria, we can dismiss any belief that those ministers who resigned or were fired will be selected again,” the source said. National Alliance for Reconstruction leader Dr Carson Charles, who is also head of Nidco, said his party was supporting Arthur Sanderson as the candidate for Fyzabad.
However, top-level sources said if the NAR wanted to be part of the coalition it should not take arbitrary decisions.
Ministerial scandals
Sharma, who has served as an MP since 1991, resigned as a minister on March 29 amidst allegations that he assaulted his former girlfriend Sacha Singh, the managing director of AMS Biotech Security Concept and AmSure T&T Ltd. Minister of the People Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh was fired by the PM on March 25, following allegations of disorderly behaviour on board a Caribbean Airlines flight on March 16.
Roberts, who won the D’Abadie/O’Meara constituency on a Congress of the People (COP) ticket, resigned as an MP and Minister of Sport on July 31 over allegations of corruption in the LifeSport programme. Roberts was also embroiled in a scandal last May when a video went viral that showed a man resembling a government minister rolling a substance believed to be marijuana into a cigarette in a hotel room with two women. In 2012, Roberts resigned from the COP, but days later withdrew his resignation.
Sharma responds
Contacted on the issue, Sharma said there is no vacancy at this time for the post of Fyzabad MP. Asked whether he believed he would be re-elected, Sharma said, “When screening begins people will be invited to file nominations and it is open to all.” He said last year there were over 342 potential candidates who expressed interest in contesting the local government elections.
“We had over 100-plus potential candidates in the last general election. Everyone was screened, and I will also be screened as well,” Sharma said. Roberts and Ramadharsingh were not available for comment as calls to their cellphones went unanswered.