00:00In a new development on Thursday, Camuto Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir issued a statement in which
00:06he declared why he refuses to be screened by opposition leader Kamala Prasad Besesar.
00:11MP Ragbir said it is with deep disappointment that he announced he will not participate
00:17in the UNC's screening process for re-election as the Member of Parliament for Camuto Manzanilla.
00:23MP Ragbir said that after careful reflection, he can no longer align himself with a party
00:29that he said has abandoned its principles, rewards mediocrity, shields those accused
00:35of wrongdoing and punishes integrity.
00:37MP Ragbir further said that he refuses to submit himself, quote, to a screening committee
00:43that includes individuals currently charged with wrongdoing, embroiled in court cases
00:48involving mismanagement of public funds at the EMBD, allegedly linked to gang activity
00:55and even one individual who has serious allegations of human trafficking to answer, end quote.
01:01Dr Ragbir said serving his constituents has been the greatest privilege of his life, but
01:06he can no longer serve under what he called a leadership that prioritises personal loyalty
01:11over public service.
01:13The Camuto Manzanilla MP further said that meanwhile, dedicated, competent members like
01:18Rushton Parry, Anita Haines-Alain and Dinesh Rambali, who he described as being among the
01:23party's best and brightest, are being sidelined while those accused of corruption, mismanagement
01:29and even links to criminal elements remain untouched.
01:32MP Ragbir said, quote, the hypocrisy is staggering, how can the UNC demand accountability from
01:39the PNM while refusing to practice it internally, end quote.
01:43In an initial response to the media regarding MP Ragbir's statement, opposition leader
01:48Posad Besesar said, quote, no one cares, end quote.
01:52On Thursday, the UNC announced that following an event in the spirit of the Carnival season
01:57and Valentine's Day on Friday, it will screen candidates for five constituencies for the
02:03general election due later this year.
02:06Those constituencies are Claxton Bay, formerly Pointe-a-Pierre, La Hawke-et-Atal-Paro, Princess
02:12Town, Oropuch East and Separia, which is the constituency represented by the party's political
02:17leader, opposition leader Posad Besesar.
02:20Mrs. Posad Besesar also screens the UNC's screening committee.
02:25Jule Brown, TV6 News.
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