Former Senator next Mayor of Port-of-Spain?

In politics, it is rare to find persons starting off as Members of Parliament and then moving ‘down’ to  become local government representatives. It is usually the other way around and there is a long list of politicians, such as Jarette Narine, Pennelope Beckles, and John Rahael in the current Parliament, who cut their political teeth in the local government arena. But PNM candidates Joel London and Andre Maloney are going against this political grain. Come July 14 the two men who served as senators in the past, are expected to be elected as councillors on July 14. London, the candidate for the electoral district of Belmont East, was a PNM senator during the 1987-1991 Parliament. Maloney the candidate for O’Meara, started off as a senator when he replaced Brian Kuei Tung in 1993. He served for two and a half years in the Senate until general elections were called in November 1995. Both men, who  are now 35 years old, were considered very young at the time that Political Leader, Patrick Manning asked them to speak for the youth in the Upper House. Yesterday in separate interviews, London and Maloney,  dismissed the idea that their candidacy in the local government poll was in anyway a demotion. “It is not where you start off. The key thing is serving people,” Maloney said.

London said he did not have the opportunity to interact with people while he was in the Senate, that he now has. When he goes on his walkabout through the district, he is able to see first-hand the problems of the Belmont area which he knows pretty well. Contrary to reports, he has lived all this life in the electoral district, is  registered in the district and is therefore properly qualified to run as a candidate, in accordance with the election rules. His parents originally lived at Leyan Hill where he was born. They moved in 1981 to their current address at Barton Lane where he still lives. Unemployment and the lack of recreational facilites are the two major problems in the area. And, he said, this problem went hand in hand with the crime situation. He has set up an office in Belmont where the burgesses can visit him. London, who holds a BSc in Business Administration and is currently doing a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London, is considered one of the rising stars in the party. And many think he might be in line for the position of  deputy Mayor or even Mayor for the PoS Corporation in the light of the party’s  desire to acknowledge the importance of the youth and the youth vote. “God willing, and if that is the will of the Political Leader, I will look forward to the challenge (of serving as Mayor or deputy Mayor),” was all he would say on this matter.

London replaced Mickey Greaves, who served for 16 years. He stressed yesterday that he wanted to thank Greaves for his service to the area. Told that Greaves had lamented that he (London) had not even sought his assistance in his campaign, London pointed out that he invited Greaves to his launch which took place last Sunday at St Francois Valley Road. Greaves did not attend. Many of Greaves supporters are part of his campaign, London noted. Andre Maloney, worked as the personal assistance to Eddie Hart and as campaign manager to a previous local government candidate.  But he has been involved with the PNM since he was 16 years old. He  has lived in the area (Malabar) for the last 20 years. This coincided with the creation of the area as an electoral district and he has seen many councillors, “going back to Ashton Ford, come and go”. “I think I have some understanding of representative politics and I see this (local government arena) as an ideal place to start,” he said. Maloney, who is a former National Youth Award holder, attended the Aranguez Islamic School and then Barataria Junior Secondary and Arima Senior Comprehensive. He currently works as a trainer/tutor in glass, aluminium and graphic designs. Maloney replaced  70-year-old Kelvin Seiferd, who represented the area for the past six years. He (Maloney) said he has encountered no hostility and that people have thrown their support behind him.