Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh still enjoys support in his Caroni East constituency, as constituents say they would prefer him to be re-elected by the United National Congress (UNC) screening committee rather than his rival Devant Maharaj.
Maharaj, who was appointed Food Production Minister in 2012, last month signalled his intention to challenge Gopeesingh for the Caroni East safe seat in the general election, while Gopeesingh has asked his constituents to give him another five-year term as MP, triggering a fierce battle between the two men.
On Wednesday, some constituents admitted that whereas they did not see Gopeesingh regularly, they were unfamiliar with Maharaj and would not vote for him.
In the last five years, constituents have credited Gopeesingh with delivering box drains, providing them with pipe-borne water, lighting for recreational grounds and resheeted roads.
However, in the St Helena district, there were complaints of clogged drains, flooding, lack of pavements and a rat infestation.
At Esmeralda Road, Cunupia, 49-year-old Dhandaye Ramlochan and her two daughters Sema, 26, and Sita, 20, said they would vote for Gopeesingh.
“Gopeesingh did a lot for the community,” Sema said.
The three women pointed out that roads were resurfaced, box drains erected and electricity installed in many homes.
“People are better off today than before,” Dhandaye interjected.
Sita, a graduate of Holy Faith Convent, Couva, said what the youth in the community needed was employment.
“For two years I searching and cannot find a job,” she complained.
Having lost her father Rajkumar Ramlochan to diabetes 11 years ago, Sita said the $1,750 her mother collected in NIS and social welfare could not make ends meet and appealed to their MP to help them obtain a food card.
Asked if they would support Maharaj if he were selected to run for the Caroni East constituency, Sema responded, “Who is he again?”
Told that he was one of the ministers in Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s Cabinet, she replied, “Oh, he is the one who does be on TV. I don’t know his track record. I can’t vote for somebody I never met.”
Not far away, shopkeeper Shamilla Bedassie said Gopeesingh had represented his constituents.
“I don’t see our MP much, but he’s working. Little by little we are getting things done. For one, crime is down. The police are patrolling on a regular basis.”
Bedassie said she felt Gopeesingh would be the better person to vote for.
Farmer Sharma Mangalee, who grows crops at Esmeralda Road, Cunupia, described Gopeesingh as a failed MP.
“I can’t tell you the last time I see Gopeesingh. He cannot get my vote,” he said.
Mangalee said he was disappointed in the People’s Partnership Government.
“Everyday they are sinking deeper and deeper into the mess they have created. What is upsetting me is that they are turning their backs on the people who put them in power. They are not serving the people.”
Mangalee said Maharaj did not have dialogue with the majority of Cunupia farmers when they experienced flooding.
“He went to one farmer to have consultation. I can’t vote for Devant,” Mangalee said.
“We have been begging for a sluice gate to take the flood water out and nobody hearing us. Now he saying he wants to fight for the seat?”
Chin Chin Road vendor Ramlogan Rampersad also took jabs at his MP for not providing constituents with pavements.
He said the area was also prone to flooding because of clogged water courses.
“I have already put aside some money to buy materials to build a pavement in front my stall,” Rampersad said.
Rampersad estimated the cost of labour and building materials at $2,000.
“I don’t know if Maharaj would be a better candidate than Gopeesingh. But I don’t want the PNM to win. The Prime Minister do a lot for the country in five years. I think she deserves another term,” Rampersad said, while customer Cheryl Griffith shook her head in agreement.
Gopeesingh—a no show
Persilla Dukadin praised the Government for providing her sister with electricity at her Chin Chin Road, home.
“For years my sister managed without electricity and she finally got it under this Government. You don’t see Gopeesingh, but he serving his constituents. I prefer to see development taking place than to see a MP who not doing anything. The man cannot do everything at once which is what people want,” Dukadin reasoned.
Dukadin had a hard time remembering Maharaj.
“His name sounding familiar but I cannot picture his face. I would vote for my MP again.”
At the corner of Kernaham Trace, along Chin Chin Road, retired mechanic Kenrick Joseph said he had not seen Gopeesingh in months.
“The last time I saw him was before the general election,” Joseph, 78, recalled.
He said that grass cut by Cepep was thrown into the water course in front of his home.
“I would have to pay a man $50 to remove the weed so my home would not flood when the rain falls,” Joseph complained.
Asked if he would support Maharaj, Joseph replied “I don’t like him in particular.”
Joseph said he was not totally satisfied with his MP, but would still vote for him.
Flooding galore
Seerani Rogers, 69, said Gopeesingh promised that once the UNC got into power, box drains would be built along Bon Aventure Street, in Cunupia, where she lives, to ease the flooding.
“Five years passed and I still waiting on Gopeesingh’s promise. Tell him if we don’t get our box drain he not getting my vote.”
Rogers said whenever there was a downpour, water would gush into her home because the drain could not accommodate the volume of water.
“Last year, I lost everything from washing machine to bed. I just fed up. What is the sense you voting for people to represent you and they not helping,” Rogers said.
In Las Lomas No 1, villager Othneil Grant of Beverly Hills assessed Gopeesingh’s performance as poor.
He said roads were dug up for the laying of pipelines which had resulted in taxi drivers doubling their fares.
“Some drains overgrown with grass. We don’t even have pavement on some streets. Recently, two villagers were struck by vehicles while walking on the road. I don’t think this is good representation. But jump high or low the UNC will win this seat,” Grant said.
Grant said he expected Caroni East to attract fewer voters because people were becoming disenchanted with the Government.
“The truth about Jack Warner financing the party is being revealed. Skeletons are coming out of the closet. To be honest, I rather support a man who swindle money and share it with people than to vote for a politician who get money through ill-gotten gains and hoarding and banking it outside,” Grant said.
Vendor Raymond James, of Mahaica Extension, described Gopeesingh as a man of action.
“He doing a lot of work the eyes cannot see. People who saying he not working not opening their eyes,” James said.
Sanjeet Boodram, of Church Street, said whether Gopeesingh was re-elected or not made no difference.
“Whether you vote for the PNM or UNC you still have to work hard every day,” Boodram reasoned.
Boodram said Maharaj should have signed his nomination papers to contest another seat.
“He does not live in Caroni East. I don’t know why he say he wants to be screened for this constituency,” Boodram pointed out.
At Kelly Village, Sunita Chaitram said the Government was pumping millions into developmental works for the benefit of all.
“We get roads, lights and box drains. We never see that before,” Chaitram said.
Temple Street resident Bissoondaye Mathura said though she had been waiting for decades for her road to be paved, she was satisfied with Gopeesingh’s overall performance.
“He did good in education. He built dozens of schools in the country. That speaks volumes.”
At St Helena Village, Bharat Daroon heaped praises on Gopeesingh.
“He is the best MP we ever had. I will support him. I like Tim too bad. The only fault I have with him is that we don’t see him enough,” Daroon said.
Shanmatee Ragoonath appealed to her MP to rebuild the St Helena Hindu School, which was rundown and frequented by manicou.
Resident Everson Chadee said the drains in the district needed to be dredged and cleaned.
“Every night you can see rats running all over the place. They big like manicou.”
A few houses away, Kimberly Singh described Gopeesingh as an absent MP.
“Last Christmas he passed in a vehicle and gave the children a $10 doll. What we voting for he for?”
Singh said she had no street light or pavements and there was a rat infestation in the community.
“On top of all that we have to put up with flooding. I think somebody else should be given a chance to serve as MP.”
Asked if Maharaj would be a better candidate, Singh said his name did not ring a bell.
“He nice or ugly? I can’t remember him. Who is he again?” Singh asked, with a puzzled look on her face.
26 party groups
supporting Tim
Insisting that he was satisfied with his performance, Gopeesingh said he might not visit the home of every constituent, “but I would attend to the jobs in the constituency and communicate with various ministers to get the work done.”
Among some of his achievements as MP were the paving of 88 roads, construction of five early childhood care centres, clearing of 40 water courses, building of 83 box drains and illumination of eight recreational grounds.
Gopeesingh said he had no problems with Maharaj filing his nomination papers.
“The UNC is proud of democracy. If [Maharaj] feels that he can be the candidate...that is good. He is free to put in his nomination to contest the elections for the party.”
Gopeesingh said he bore no malice towards Maharaj.
“The screening committee and the Prime Minister are the decision-makers.”
Gopeesingh said all 26 party groups had endorsed him.
“I believe I have a wider support from the community. When you go through the constituency now you would believe it is coming close to city status because there have been marked improvements. People’s properties have now escalated in value, making it more difficult for poorer people to own properties today. That is one of the negatives now. That is the general thing that is happening now in Central because of the work the Government has done.”
Maharaj: No conflict of interest
On Friday, Maharaj said he was yet to file his nomination papers for Caroni East.
The deadline for filing is June 26.
“I still thinking. I have to talk to my wife Kristal, children and the Prime Minister. I am interested in supporting the party.”
Maharaj said Kristal had also expressed an interest in filing nominations papers, but he did not reveal for what seat.
If his wife decided against doing so, Maharaj said, he would jump into the fray.
In 2010, Maharaj said, he was screened by the UNC but wasn’t selected.
“I didn’t think I would have been anything. Now look, I am a cabinet minister.”
Maharaj said he did not see a conflict of interest in filing his nomination papers for the seat whilst outgoing MP Gopeesingh had offered himself for re-election.
“That is democracy. The party has opened up the whole membership to express their interest in fighting a seat.”