With much fanfare and excitement, the United National Congress (UNC) kicked off its screening of prospective candidates for four constituencies last evening at the Rienzi Complex in Couva.
Candidates for La Horquetta/Talparo, Barataria/San Juan, Moruga/Tableland and Diego Martin North East were screened, but Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will announce the successful candidates on Monday at the party’s Monday Night Forum in Maraval.
However, incumbent MPs for La Horquetta/Talparo and Moruga/Tableland, Jairam Seemungal and Clifton de Coteau, respectively, can be certain that they will be contesting the September 7 election in hopes of retaining their seats, since no other candidates were screened for their constituencies.
This was confirmed by acting UNC chair Khadijah Ameen, who told reporters three prospective candidates were screened for Barataria/San Juan, including incumbent MP and Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan.
She said she was not certain how many candidates other than Attorney General Garvin Nicholas would be screened for the Diego Martin North East seat which is currently held by Colm Imbert of the People’s National Movement.
The Prime Minister, who heads the screening committee, arrived around 4 pm, but the screening did not kick off until 5, with each candidate expressing confidence of success.
Khan, who is facing two competitors, said he was not worried as he was confident he had done sufficient work in his constituency. One of the first candidates to arrive, Khan was accompanied by a large number of supporters, many wearing jerseys with his photo printed on them, and a tassa crew.
Seemungal also had a large number of supporters and he was accompanied by a music truck. Optimistic that the Persad-Bissessar-led People’s Partnership would be successful at the polls, he said, “I think La Horquetta/Talparo will be history in the making again because we will be victorious at the polls.
“I think we are in a very, very strong position now compared to even 2010. In 2010 we went in not knowing what will happen. In 2015 we are going in knowing how much work we have done, despite the little hiccups we may have had over the past five years.”
Unlike his counterparts, de Coteau arrived alone with no music and no supporters. He admitted to feeling a “little bit of anxiety,” but said, “I don’t think I have anything to be fearful about. I think I have done enough although we could have done some more.”
He said he was hopeful of getting more than the 51 per cent of the votes they got in 2010.
Nicholas, who was greeted by several supporters who walked with their own parang band, was also confident of his chances. Asked if he felt his position as AG gave him a competitive edge, he said, “I think my work in the community gave me that advantage. If I were a useless Attorney General not having performed in the constituency, I would have been rejected as a candidate and rightfully so.”
When asked for an update regarding Jack Warner’s extradition to the US on racketeering charges related to his Fifa tenure, Nicholas said, “The US has until the 26th, 27th of July and it’s up to them to send the formal request. The ball is in their court really.”
No announcement was made as to when screening for the other constituencies will take place.