Sports Minister Brent Sancho received an overwhelming endorsement last night to run for D’Abadie/ O’Meara seat as Carapo residents cry neglect from the Congress of the People (COP).
Sancho, who was attending a meeting at the Carapo Community Centre, told Sunday Guardian, after a walkabout in the area, that if Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar wanted him to contest a seat in the 2015 general election he would do so.
Last night, Carapo resident Davough Cummings, addressing the open forum meeting, told Sancho, “It is time Carapo turn from white to yellow, from COP to UNC.” The seat is currently held by the People’s Partnership member COP after Anil Roberts’s victory in 2010. However, Roberts resigned as MP last year and was fired as Minister of Sports after allegations of corruption arising out of the now defunct Life Sport programme.
Cummings complained that since Roberts’s resignation nothing has been done in the constituency, even though Patricia Metivier was named as a caretaker for the seat.
He said COP leader Prakash Ramadhar has not assisted them. “no one has been coming to our rescue, we are neglected. We do not want the seat to go back to PNM.” While Sancho did not reply to calls for him to contest, he assured that he would have their concerns addressed.
Sancho, during the walkabout, greeted residents and kissed babies, leaving many to wonder if he had started campaigning for the election.