By Sue-Ann Wayow
NICHOLAS Morris has been named as the United National Congress (UNC) candidate for Mayaro.
Morris was announced as the candidate for the party on Saturday night at a campaign meeting at North Eastern College in Sangre Grande.
Morris replaces incumbent Rushton Paray who served as Member of Parliament since 2015.
Morris declared, “We will ensure that Mayaro wins on April 28 making Kamla Persad-Bissessar, your Prime Minister.”
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He said he was faithful and grateful for receiving the opportunity to represent the party in the April 28 General Election.
Morris, 35, has served as a member of the party’s national executive for years serving as the chairman of the youth arm of the UNC and has been a member of the party for 18 years.
He promised, “Tonight, I pledge to you, that the mothers, the fathers and the children of Guayaguayare, Makefing, Ortoire and Rio Claro will have proper representation as we take Mayaro into government…The people of Mayaro deserves to be in government.”
With high praises for his political leader Persad-Bissessar, Morris said she built Mayaro into the energy hub that is today under her tenureship as prime minister but under the present administration, it was collapsed.
Paray issued a statement following the public introduction of Morris as the UNC candidate for Mayaro.
He said, “Serving the people of Mayaro has been the greatest honour of my life. Over the years, I have worked alongside many dedicated citizens, standing up for the issues that matter most and striving to make a meaningful difference in our community.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the people of Mayaro for your unwavering support, trust, and encouragement. Your resilience and determination have been my greatest inspiration.”
Paray added, “While this chapter may be closing, my commitment to service and to the people of Trinidad and Tobago is far from over. The journey continues, and I look forward to the opportunities ahead to keep working for the progress and prosperity of our nation. Thank you, Mayaro—this is not goodbye, but rather, see you soon.”
Paray, a prominent businessman in Mayaro had offered himself to be screened back in February.
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He was branded “dissident” when he contested the UNC internal election last year with his party the United Patriots and heavily supported by other UNC MPs Anita Haynes- Alleyne, Dinesh Rambally, Rodney Charles and Dr Rai Ragbir.
He along with Anita Haynes-Alleyne were the only MPs to re-enter the screening process.
Neither were chosen.
