Former UNC Cumuto-Manzanilla Member of Parliament Collin Partap – now a PNM member – recently began assisting the campaign of PNM Moruga candidate Winston Peters, including in meetings up to last Saturday.
Partap featured with Peters at a meeting held with executive members including area chairman David Trim. Partap’s been working in Moruga for the last month.
Partap, a former People’s Partnership (PP) minister, was fired in 2012 after refusing to do a Driving Under the Influence test. He was fined $5,000 and remained a PP backbencher until the 2015 elections.
He became active with PNM two years since he said the UNC hadn’t made enough changes to effect change for the people. Partap helped the PNM in Sangre Grande corporation for Local Government polls. The UNC, however, won that area.
Partap said yesterday, “I was asked by my colleague and friend ‘Gypsy’ (Peters) to assist in bringing home Moruga. We’ve been on the ground solidifying support. Gypsy’s name and track record will attract voters. We’ve seen people normally perceived as UNC voters, saying they’re willing to give him a chance as they’re fed up with UNC’s operation. Gypsy has spoken to them plainly, on his thrust for jobs and development for the area.’’
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Partap’s father, Harry Partap also wrote a letter to the media last week critiquing television appearances of UNC’s Sean Sobers and Ahloy Hunt. Partap (Snr) was a member of the Panday UNC and an ambassador to South Africa under the PP administration. He said yesterday he’d noted Sobers was open, humble and acknowledged a tough fight in San Fernando West, but he wasn’t impressed with Hunt’s attitude.
Meanwhile, the PNM’s Port-of-Spain executive is working on nominees after the unit was sent back to search again. This, after initial candidate Cleopatra Borel was dropped last Wednesday due to having dual US/TT citizenship.
Meanwhile, PNM’s D’Abadie O’Meara executive members have spoken to MP Ancil Antoine on his recently reported controversial remarks to some members last week and he’s expected to meet with members later this week.
UNC Couva South
stands up for Rudy
Meanwhile in the face of surfacing reports that top UNC officials last Friday approached UNC’s Couva South executive on whether the area might accept a new candidate, UNC Couva executive chairman Sharma Sooknanan – who said he couldn’t comment on such reports – told Guardian Media the executive stands firmly behind incumbent MP Rody Indarsingh.
It’s reported the officials sought to ascertain if Couva South might be open to having a well-known official as a candidate. Sooknanan, while not commenting reports, said firmly,“ As Couva South constituency chairman, the executive stands unanimously behind Rudranath Indarsingh – total confidence in our MP who’s done a great job for the last 10 years. I’ve been chairman for many years and he’s the best MP we ever had.’’
‘’He has a track record of deep service and high visibility in the area and is endorsed by everyone from sports clubs and temple to mosque and village council. Mr Indarsingh knows people by name, not as statistics.”
But if the UNC chooses otherwise, Sooknanan said the unit would follow party guidelines.
Yesterday also, former PNM MP Peter Taylor denied claims he may be in the running for a POS seat for UNC.
“I haven’t been screened by UNC, I’m just practising my law,” Taylor said.
