PNM loses local government by-election race 3-2 to UNC
Monday 25 January 2021
UNC s Sheldon Fish Garcia, raises his hands in victory after being declared winner of the Arima Central seat in Monday s local government by-election. - Angelo Marcelle
THE Opposition UNC on Monday night wrested the Arima Central district away from the PNM in the local government by-elections. The UNC also retained the Cunupia and Hindustan/St Mary s districts.
The PNM meanwhile seemed on course to retain control of the Hollywood and Alyce Glen/Morne Coco districts.
Addressing party supporters at the M Rampersad Building in San Fernando, UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said, The breaking news tonight is that the UNC has won the Arima Central seat. They told me before, but I didn t want to announce it till I saw the statement of poll. This confirms Arima Central is now in the House of the Rising Sun.
SASCHA WILSON
The two Independent candidates seeking to wrestle control of the Hindustan/St Mary’s electoral district from the PNM and UNC are confident of their victory.
Guardian Media caught up with both candidates Ariel Saunders and Peterson Morales near the Tableland Secondary School.
Saunders voted at Cowen Hamilton Secondary School, today (Monday 25 January 2021).
“We mounted a very successful campaign and I think that today, Trinidad and Tobago will see the results of the work we put in,” Saunders told Guardian Media.
He received no reports of any issues and while there has been a steady flow of voters, the turn out so far has been low.
Voters trickle in at Hindustan/St Mary’s
Monday 25 January 2021
File photo: Michelle Benjamin and Tylon Farell UNC s candidate for Hindustan / St. Mary s spoke to media near the Cowen Hamilton Secondary School, Moruga Road. - Marvin Hamilton
The candidates vying for the Hindustan/St Mary’s seat in the local government by-election on Monday said voting process went well.
PNM candidate Martina Loubon-Le Gendre voted at Tableland Secondary School at about 9 am, saying the process went “extremely smoothly.”
When Newsday visited the area, there was no activity and only one voter near the school.
Loubon-Le Gendre, the lone female candidate, said: “It started off a bit slow, and things are picking up.”
Kamla: Watch out for govt plan to let Venezuelans vote
Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Photo by Sureash Cholai
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is asking citizens to watch “with a hawk eye” for any attempt by government to give naturalised status to Venezuelan nationals so they can vote in Trinidad and Tobago elections.
She said she is concerned that the permits allowing 16,000 Venezuelans to live and work in this country for a year have expired, amid reports they will be renewed.
“The law is very clear in the Immigration Act that the Minister of National Security does have the jurisdiction to grant a permit, which must not exceed 12 months, for a person to enter, and for those who are already here.