By Sue-Ann Wayow

YOUNG men in the constituency of Aranguez/St Joseph are being asked if they will sell their soul for some Rude Boy (drink), marijuana and $5,000 in the General Election.

So said People’s National Movement (PNM) candidate for Aranguez/St Joseph Terrence Deyalsingh on Tuesday.

But his brief Facebook video post garnered much backlash from the United National Congress (UNC) political platform on Tuesday night during a campaign meeting in the constituency at the La Joya carpark.

Deyalsingh claimed, “There are two black pick-ups driving through the constituency and in those two black pick-ups, they are bringing bags of money, they are bringing weed, Hennessy and bullets. I want to ask the young men of this country and Aranguez/St Joseph in particular is it worth it? Rude boy, is it worth it? Are you going to sell your soul and the soul of this country for Rude boy, ganja, $5,000?”

He further asked when all of that was finished, what will be their future.

Deyalsingh said he was offering something different: sales training, agriculture and training on use of machinery.

“So that you could be independent and feed yourself and your family for a lifetime as opposed to what the UNC is offering you to give you a high for one day and to eat ah food for a week,” he said.

Host at the UNC meeting, Anil Roberts said, “When you have been a Minister of Health for a very long time and a complete failure but you are in  an election campaign and you have to absolutely concoct a total lie to try to make media, something is wrong with you.

Most of these PNM cabinet ministers need help.”

UNC candidate for Aranguez/St Joseph Devesh Maharaj,  labelled Deyalsingh’s claims as “a spurious allegation.”

Both Maharaj and Roberts asked if Deyalsingh even knew the number plates of the vehicles.

Maharaj also said Deyalsingh now placed everyone with a black pick-up in the constituency at risk and vulnerable to criminal elements because of the alleged items such vehicles may contain.

“My opponent came on video and made a very serious allegation about two black pick-ups. People have black pick-ups in Aranguez/St Joseph, they drive around. He has made those people in those pick-ups targets for criminal elements because people are believing that people with these pick-ups are moving with money and all sorts of things,” Maharaj said.

He said, “The only reason I can identify as to why all of this is going on is that the youth in our constituency are gravitating towards the United National Congress (UNC).”

Maharaj had a question for Deyalsingh, “Why is he now talking to the youth?”

Naming several areas in the constituency that had many youths, he said most youths wanted employment, opportunities and activities.

While he could not give jobs as yet, Maharaj said he could organise sporting activities and others and have organised 12 activities since he began campaigning.

“The youth want to be productive in our constituency and they are embracing what we are doing. A spurious allegation to challenge us because of the success that we are getting with the youth,” he said.

Maharaj also said he did not tell the youths to sing “When UNC wins, everybody wins” or chant “Yellow is the code,” they were doing it of their own accord because they realised the difference the party was making.

While Deyalsingh was being lambasted for his video from the UNC, he was being praised from the PNM platform at Nyahbinghi’s Bar, Corner King & Abercromby St also in the constituency of Aranguez/ St Joseph.

Additionally, Maharaj  spoke about  the use of a venue First Capital Hill saying it was not initially being allowed for a UNC organsied event.

It was with the intervention of UNC candidate for Tunapuna Roger Alexander that the ground was able to be used the UNC to host a Easter fiesta on Sunday.

Maharaj further asked, “Why do they want to keep us out of St Joseph?”

And another video has been circulating with a stand off with PNM member Noel Garcia in a stand off with some-one over music trucks being rolled in by the PNM near to where the UNC was organising an event for the children.

UNC candidate for St Augustine, said the PNM was becoming desperate as they were beginning to foresee a loss on April 28.

She told supporters, “We will not be deterred. We will not give in to their harassment. Do not sink to their level of nastiness.”