Pressure is mounting for the People’s National Movement (PNM) screening committee as its supporters in Chaguanas East issue an ultimatum to select Nal Ramsingh for the seat or they will vote for the Independent Liberal Party (ILP).
Ramsingh, who is currently out of the country, was rejected twice as a prospective candidate to contest the seat in the 2015 polls.
On Wednesday, the Sunday Guardian went into the Chaguanas East constituency to speak to constituents about the internal wranglings following the party’s failure to select a candidate for the seat.
PNM supporters were not forgiving of the party’s screening committee’s failure to agree on a candidate.
The constituents clearly laid their cards on the table, “Is Nal Ramsingh or nothing,” declared Dale Preudhomme, 25, of Enterprise Street, Chaguanas.
He said his area was a PNM stronghold, but supporters are not pleased with the screening committee. In fact, he contended that there was a conspiracy to punish Ramsingh because he challenged Faris Al Rawi for the PNM PRO post in the party’s internal elections.
“It is nothing but a personal grudge with Faris Al Rawi, that must be why Nal Ramsingh ain’t get the nod to represent the people of Chaguanas East. Nal Ramsingh has done plenty for the people of Chaguanas East and Enterprise,” he said.
Initially, PNM Senator Dianne Baldeo-Chadeesingh was given the nod over Ramsingh when she went before the committee in March. However, early last month, Baldeo-Chadeesingh, in a surprising turn, withdrew her candidacy citing personal reasons.
Once again, Ramsingh appeared before the committee and he was blanked. This week, members of the Chaguanas East constituency executive walked out of a meeting with the screening committee, chaired by party leader Dr Keith Rowley at Balisier House.
According to a T&T Guardian article, the members became frustrated when the committee attempted to approve Deowatie Lalman, who was not supported by the constituency executive.
The party remains without a candidate for the seat at this time. The constituency executive has been given more time to find a suitable candidate.
Constituents:
We hold the power
Francois Street resident Sylvan Alexis, 50, complained that the PNM seemed to be losing touch with the party’s grassroots supporters.
He said Rowley would pay a hefty price if he does not listen to the will of the people.
“One seat could make a difference. Mr Ramsingh has been very persistent and working to benefit everybody. They need to be more for the people. It will work against the party. If we not voting for Mr Ramsingh, we will give ILP we vote. They have a chance of losing the seat. Rowley might be in touch with the grassroots in the community, but maybe he is not listening,” Alexis contended.
Londenville resident Wendy Charles, 48, agreed with Alexis.
She said she was a PNM supporter as well, but she was not pleased with the way the screening committee, which is an 11-member team, has been treating prospective candidates.
She too said she was going to give her vote to the ILP.
“I find they could give Mr Ramsingh a chance. Cadiz did not do anything for anybody....If we do not get him (Ramsingh) we going ILP. I supporting Jack 101 per cent,” she said.
Another resident, who opted not to give his name, also said he believed ILP leader Jack Warner was gaining support in the constituency and could very well take the marginal seat.
“We in Chaguanas East want performance, and Mr Warner is a performer,” he said, as other residents cheered.
‘Get your house in order’
Kaloo Trace, Warrenville resident Zakiyyah Ali, 32, did not mince words when she expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s inability to find a candidate.
“If they do not have their house in control what they going to do for the people out here? They are supposed to be the leaders out here, so what you expect for the people. If they cannot fix it what do you expect? What do you want the people to do? That is why they have so much crime, they cannot fix nothing. They cannot even fix themselves,” Ali said.
Shop owner Prakash Poonsammy, 64, of Rodney Road, Endeavour, said if the PNM never had a capable candidate they would not be able to find one now.
“If you looking for something and it is not there, how will you get it? You looking for somebody to represent the people and cannot find anybody capable enough. If they had somebody capable enough they would have find it and they would have screened them and have them on the floor,” he contended.
Poonsammy said while he does not delve into politics, he believes that the PNM’s political leader is handpicking candidates.
“He is the PNM leader, it is only obvious he will be the one who is picking the candidates and screening,” Poonsammy contended.
PNM national campaign manager Rohan Sinanan said he was not worried by the threats from constituents to vote against the party if Ramsingh is rejected.
Sinanan, in a telephone interview on Friday, said he does not believe constituents would make good on their threats given the party’s history.
“The PNM constituency would put a candidate forward and if it is that they do not get the candidate that they chose, we have a history of rallying around the candidate that is chosen by the constitution, so we are not worried,” Sinanan said.
The campaign manager dismissed the possibility of Ramsingh being reconsidered as a candidate.
“The party has screened everybody that came forward so far and the party has said to go out and look again.”
Sinanan said he does not believe that the delay in finding a candidate for Chaguanas East would adversely affect the party, especially since “we are ahead of the game.”
“Normally screening starts after the election date is announced. We have picked 40 candidates and they have not called a date yet. So we are way ahead of the game and within a week, we will have a candidate on the ground in Chaguanas. So we are not worried about anything like that, definitely not,” he added.
Sinanan also said that the constituency executive was still looking for a candidate, “so if they are looking for a candidate it means that they have not settled on a candidate.”
PNM general secretary Ashton Ford said the screening committee was yet to set a date to resume screening for Chaguanas East candidates.
Next week: Chaguanas East MP
Stephen Cadiz responds to critics