Caption: UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her deputy Dr Roodal Moonilal
By Sue-Ann Wayow
Thirty-nine candidates for the United National Congress (UNC) and its Coalition of Interests were revealed on Thursday night, hours mere hours before Nomination Day on April 4.
UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar revealed all candidates who will be representing the party either through party’s membership or alliance while speaking at a UNC anti-crime town hall meeting at Centre Pointe Mall auditorium in Chaguanas. The UNC has not fielded any candidates for the two Tobago seats.
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While most have already been revealed over the election season, the electorate found out on Thursday night, the remaining UNC’s representatives for constituencies that were still to be made public.
Persad-Bissessar told supporters, “Tomorrow is Nomination Day. And for everybody who worried, let not your heart be troubled. Tomorrow, all 39 candidates of the UNC and the Coalition of Interests will file their nomination papers as we go forward.”
The UNC’s Coalition of Interest is with the Laventille Outreach For Vertical Enrichment (LOVE) Movement, Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP), the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), and most recently the Congress of the People (COP) with support from the Public Services Association (PSA).
Notable candidates were UNC deputy political leader Jearlean John who was named as the UNC candidate for Couva North.
She replaces Ravi Ratiram, who was also screened for the position.
Long-term UNC member Dr Neil Gosine will represent Chaguanas West previously held by Dinesh Rambally who withdrew his candidacy in the election race.
Former MP for Pointe-a-Pierre, UNC Deputy Political Leader Dr David Lee will now be representing Caroni Central.
Sean Sobers have been named as the candidate for Tabaquite.
There was a switch in candidates for Fyzabad and Oropouche West with former Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe being selected to represent Oropouche West and former Oropouche West candidate Davendranath Tancoo will now be the candidate for Fyzabad.
Of all the previous UNC candidates, seven have retained the opportunity to represent their previous constituency.
They include: Persad-Bissessar for Siparia, UNC deputy political leader Dr Roodal Moonilal for Oropouche East, Michelle Benjamin for Moruga/Tableland, Khadija Ameen for St Augustine, Saddam Hosein for Barataria, Vandana Mohit -Chaguanas East and Dr Rishard Seecharan – Caroni East.
Persad-Bissessar listed out the names of all confirmed candidates.
The candidates to represent the UNC-led Coalition of Interests are:
1. Aranguez/St.Joseph – Devesh Maraj
2. Arima- Nigel Moses
3. Arouca/Lopinot – Dr Natalie Chaitan-Maharaj
4. Barataria/San Juan- Saddam Hosein
5. Caroni Central – Dr David Lee
6. Caroni East – Dr Rishad Seecharan
7. Chaguanas East- Vandana Mohit
8. Chaguanas West – Dr Colin Neil Gosine
9. Claxton Bay (formerly Pointe-a-Pierre)- Hansen Narinesingh
10. Couva South – Barry Padarath
11. Cumuto Manzanilla- Shivana Sam
12. Diego Martin Central -Keiron Thomas
13. Diego Martin North East – Brendon Butts (PEP)
14. Diego Martin West -Janice Miller Learmond-Criqui (PEP)
15. Fyzabad – Dave Tancoo
16. La Brea -Clyde Elder (OWTU)
17. La Horquetta/Talparo – Phillip Watts
18. Laventille East/Morvant – Robert Mitchell
19. Laventille West – Rodney Stowe
20. Malabar/Mausica – Dominic Smith
21. Mayaro – Nicholas Morris
22. Moruga/Tableland – Michelle Benjamin
23. Naparima – Dr Narindra Roopnarine
24. Oropouche East – Dr Roodal Moonilal
25. Oropouche West – Dr Lackram Bodoe
26. Point Fortin- Ernesto Kesar (OWTU)
27. Port of Spain North/St. Ann’s West – Phillip Alexander (PEP)
28. Port of Spain South – Kirt Sinette (COP)
29. Princes Town – Dr Aiyna Ali
30. San Fernando East – John Michael Alibocus
31. San Fernando West – Dr Michael Dowlath
32. St Ann’s East -Gerald Small (COP)
33. St Augustine- Khadija Ameen
34. Tabaquite – Sean Sobers
35. Toco/Sangre Grande – Wayne Sturge
36. Trincity/Maloney-Richard Smith
37. Tunapuna- Roger Alexander
38. Couva North -Jearlean John
39. Siparia – Kamla Persad-Bissessar
On Saturday, at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya, the UNC will have its complete presentation of candidates.
