Caption: Prime Minister Stuart Young, left, with former PNM’s San Fernando West MP Faris Al-Rawi. AZP News/Faith Edwards

By Faith Edwards

FORMER San Fernando West MP Faris Al-Rawi has expressed concern over possible job losses and the future of development projects in the southern city following the United National Congress (UNC) general election victory .

Speaking at his campaign office on Cipero Street, San Fernando, after Monday’s polls, addressing his supporters, Al-Rawi said he fears for the fate of the San Fernando waterfront project, citing statements made by Prime Minister-elect Kamla Persad-Bissessar regarding her intention to halt the housing initiative planned for the area.

“I fear for people who may lose their jobs… and I fear for the fate of the waterfront, because you’ve heard Kamla Persad-Bissessar, now Prime Minister-in-waiting, say that she intends to cancel the waterfront housing and instead put up manufacturing and other things,” Al-Rawi said.

The waterfront redevelopment project was one of the flagship initiatives under the outgoing PNM administration, he said.

Al-Rawi, who has served as MP for the constituency since 2015, said he made every effort to bring development to the region.

“I certainly gave it my best attempt to give San Fernando an advantage,” he said.

Despite losing his seat, Al-Rawi said he surprisingly do not feel any hurt over the outcome and had mentally prepared for all possibilities.

“Genuinely, I don’t feel personally, any hurt, quite surprisingly,” he said.

Al Rawi said, “The numbers I looked at told me that it was either that we were going to pull it off, and if not, I expected this, because you’ve always got a plan, Option A and Option B.”

Foster Cummings conceded the La Horquetta/Talparo seat to UNC candidate Philip Watts on Monday night and thanked his team and supporters for their hard work, he also expressed hope that the incoming representative would continue the developmental work the PNM has been doing in the critical areas of the constituency.