The People’s National Movement (PNM) and the United National Congress (UNC) cannot be left alone in this nation’s Parliament.
That seems to be the rallying point for several independent candidates who filed nomination papers yesterday to contest the general election which will take place in 19 days.
Calm and confident, independents and smaller political parties yesterday quietly collected Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) packages and returned to their campaigning.
In San Fernando West, independent candidate Jowelle De Souza said she was confident of her support in her home constituency.
De Souza, who filed her nomination papers at 9 am, said the process was a smooth and simple one, but added that nothing had changed since she launched her campaign, as she was still intent on becoming the next MP for San Fernando West.
De Souza will be running against PNM candidate Faris Al Rawi, and the UNC’s Raziah Ahmed.
“We have been campaigning for more than a year and we will continue our meetings in the constituency and the independent candidates will also be speaking to the people through a new television show on Gayelle,” De Souza said.
“Both political parties have run their course in T&T. Many people don’t want to be a part of one or the other and the independent candidates feel the same way.
In Tobago East, Public Service Association (PSA) President Watson Duke, filed his papers at 11 am.
“I’m feeling confident that at the end of the day on September 7, I will be the choice for Tobago East,” Duke said.
He said his confidence came from the people in the many villages he had visited and spoken too.
Duke said the people of Tobago East were aware of his background and felt confident of his ability to represent them.
“I represent the man on the ground. I have represented workers and I wish to do the same for the people of Tobago East.”
Duke said he had been greeted with calls from Tobagonians who say “they wah Watson Duke.”
Duke does political battle with the PNM’s Ayanna Webster-Roy and the Tobago Organisation of the People candidate Joseph Frederick.
Independent candidate for St Joseph Errol Fabien said he was extremely confident that there would be an increase in the number of votes during this election.
Fabien received just over 300 votes when he contested the St Joseph by-election in 2013.
“I am confident about the possibility of getting a seat in parliament,” Fabien said.
While some smaller parties have dropped out of the election race, with some describing it as a “two-horse” race, Fabien said that wasn’t the perception he was getting.
“It isn’t a two-horse race and it must not be a two-horse race.
“The UNC and the PNM must not be left alone in our Parliament because when they are there that is not what is best for our country,” Fabien said.
Around 1 pm, former National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) MP Rawle Raphael filed nomination papers for the constituency of Lopinot/ Bon Air West.
“I know I will beat Lincoln Douglas,” Raphael said in a telephone interview.
“He didn’t perform in this constituency at all. I live in Arouca and I want to see the communities here develop.”
Over the past week, several small parties pulled out of the election for various reasons.
The Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) led by former government senator David Abdulah, the Alliance of Independence (AOI), headed by Nicole Dyer-Griffith, and the Democratic Party of T&T (DPTT) all pulled out of the upcoming general election.
Another small party, the Caribbean Collective for Justice, led by Nazma Muller pulled out of the race, stating that it did not have the support.
“It is a two-party race and we feel like we did not have enough support to go forward,” Muller said.
In a release yesterday, the DPTT explained its decision to pull out of the election by saying citizens didn’t seem to have the confidence in a third party.
In a telephone interview, Marcus Ramkissoon, head of the political party Trinidad Humanity Campaign (THC) which will be contesting three seats on September 7, expressed disappointment at the other third parties which had pulled out of the race.
The THC will be contesting seats in Tunapuna, Diego Martin West and St Joseph.
“I feel disappointed in the other parties, especially the MSJ. I expected them to go up and put their face forward.
Ramkissoon said the party hoped to win seats but was very realistic that it did not have the funds to conduct big campaigns.
“Why are we putting ourselves up as candidates knowing the reality? It is because people need to see that there is a third option.
“This two-party system cannot work. It has not worked.”