PNM UNDER FIRE

With just over one week to go before the hotly-contested poll, the ruling party yesterday revealed a candidate has become a target of vile threats, while an activist got shot moments before the start of a political meeting in Chaguanas on Friday night.

Even smaller parties seem to be feeling the pressures of an increasingly divisive electoral race with the Movement for Justice claiming their posters have been vandalised.

During a hastily-arranged news conference, yesterday, at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain, PNM public relations officer Stuart Young disclosed newcomer Roald Ramkissoon, the party’s candidate for the electoral district of St James West, in the Port-of-Spain City Corporation, had received two “very, very unfortunate” anonymous threats in his mailbox within the past few days. “These threats are crafted in the most vile and awful type language, really nasty language,” he told reporters, declaring the party condemned the action in the strongest possible terms. Saying the matter has since been reported to the St James Police Station, Young urged the national community to join the PNM in “full condemnation of this type of language and behaviour.” Young, who is also the Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, said the letters inferred serious harm to Ramkissoon’s family and also made highly disparaging remarks about other party members.

Young issued a stern warning to the perpetrator.

“Whoever is behind the incidents we call upon you to immediately cease and desist because this is really unacceptable behaviour in a Trinidadian, multifaceted, multicultural, multi-racial society,” he said. Young added that the letters promoted racism “which has no place whatsoever in T&T and the PNM does not ever encourage any type of exclusionary behaviour...” The PNM PRO said the party had offered 137 candidates for the election, 90 of whom are newcomers.

The minister said the party had managed to attract many young professionals, who have expressed an interest in service and public life. In a separate incident, which also is engaging the attention of police, Young updated reporters on the status of the investigation into a matter involving a PNM supporter, Rooplal Rampersad, 37, of Chin Chin Road, Cunupia, who was shot at during a motorcade in Chaguanas on Friday night.

“There was an episode taking place in the Chaguanas area yesterday, just minutes before 7 pm within a motorcade in Chaguanas leading into a public meeting for the People’s National Movement where one of the drivers of a music truck was struck with a projectile and when there was further investigation it seems as though he was struck with a pellet from an air gun,” he said.

“So, it was not a high-powered firearm or any other type of firearm but rather an air rifle was used.

Again, Young regarded the issue as unacceptable. “We have always run a very, very peaceful campaigns,” he said, adding he hoped the incident was an isolated one that goes no further and does not gather any ground over the next week as we go to a Local Government Election,” he said.

The minister reported that the driver of the vehicle was in good condition. “He went to the health facility and was looked at and was given the all-clear,” he said.

A police report indicates Rampersad, who officers said is a farmer (and gave his address as Soogrim Trace), was atop a truck when he was sruck in his arm by a bullet at around 6.50 pm. The truck was proceeding along Southern Main Road when Rampersad, “felt a burning sensation on his left lower arm.” He was taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility where he received medical attention. WPC Lalbeharry is continuing inquiries into the matter.

On reports that Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal urged supporters, during a meeting in Rio Claro on Thursday night, to throw roti at PNM leader and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, in the wake of his allegation that the former People’s Partnership administration had spent some $340,000 on roti for a Divali function at the Diplomatic Centre in October 2014, Young said: “I stand here today with the whole community, I am sure behind me, condemning that type of behaviour and I would hope those in his party because there are a lot of sensible people in his party, would put aside party politics and call upon Dr Moonilal to retract that statement.

“That is a vile statement that is an inciting of violence and that is something that is to be condemned at the highest level,” he added And also surfacing yesterday is a report of vandalism from the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), which is calling for an end to the defacing of their banners in Point Fortin. Speaking during a walkabout in Point Fortin, MSJ political leader, David Abdulah, said, “No amount of intimidation, no amount of efforts to try to get us off the scene will succeed.” He further said people are tired of “champagne and roti politics, long time politics, misleading politics.” The MSJ is contesting seats in the Point Fortin and the Arima regional corporations in next week’s local poll.