People’s National Movement (PNM) candidate Faris Al-Rawi may have been campaigning in the marginal seat of San Fernando West for over a year but one of the UNC’s three prospective candidates, Bishop Jankee Ragoonanan, says he is far ahead in the electoral race.
“Al-Rawi may have walked the entire constituency two and three times already but I have walked over 13 times. I am not a new kid on the block.” Ragoonanan said as he came for screening at the UNC’s office at Paraiso Building, Claxton Bay, last night. His two other nominees—Dr Marwan Abdulla and financial consultant Marcus Girdharie—also came with their contingent of supporters and tassa drummers.
Ragoonanan, who contested the seat in 2007 for the United National Congress Alliance (UNC-A) and who served as a field and research officer under outgoing San Fernando West MP Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, said even though he has not yet been selected as a candidate for the UNC he has been working the constituency.
Although screening started late, Ragoonanan said he was the only prospective candidate well known to San Fernandians. Asked whether he felt he was being put at a disadvantage because of late selection, Ragoonanan said no as he was familiar with the needs of the people.
“If I am selected here this evening, I will begin a more active campaign tonight,” Ragoonanan said. He boasted no other candidate has worked in the region like he did. He said when Seepersad-Bachan was selected to contest the seat in 2010 under a Congress of the People ticket, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar asked him to work with Seepersad-Bachan.
“I also served as a councillor for Les Efforts and now I see a need to serve as an MP.
“I am convinced of my ability. Many are saying this is a difficult seat, seeing there are added polling divisions but I don’t see it as a threat because I am a people's person and we have to get out there and converse with people and show them why they should vote for us,” he added. He said the unprecedented levels of work done by the People’s Partnership would sway voters.
“Coming close to the election date people are going to vote for us. It is a difficult fight for Faris. I have already done my ground work with the intention that I will be chosen,” Ragoonanan said. Abdulla, who is an Egyptian by birth, said he served the people of San Fernando West for over 34 years and was well poised to win the seat if selected.
“The people of San Fernando has given me a lot and the time has come for me to serve in a different capacity,” Abdulla said. He hoped to set up medical clinics and offer better health care for the people of the constituency. Girdharie, who is 43, said his youth gave him an edge over the other candidates. Girdharie said he lived in San Fernando and was intimate with the challenges of the people of the constituency.