00:00Agriculture Minister Qasem Hussein was among the first in the cabinet to greet Hans de
00:13Veens before the businessman and former media personality took his steps towards political
00:18history.
00:19Mr. de Veens was among those who appeared before the PNM's screening committee to be
00:24the party's prospective candidate for the constituency long represented by Prime Minister
00:29Dr. Keith Rowley, Degomartin West.
00:32A few hours later, Mr. de Veens emerged from Ballezay House victorious in the first phase
00:47of his new political career.
00:49I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity by the People's National Movement, an organization
00:55that has stood strong for seven decades, and to the screening committee, I say thank you
01:01to the constituents from Degomartin West that are here with us this evening.
01:06I am thankful to all of them for their support.
01:09Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley had announced he would not be offering himself to be a candidate
01:14for his party for Degomartin West or any constituency in the general election due later this year.
01:20How do you feel taking over a constituency in terms of as a candidate from Prime Minister
01:26Dr. Rowley who served at least for over three decades as a legacy issue and now you are
01:31starting a new chapter?
01:32Okay, so interesting, you'll have to ask similar questions, so I'm going to answer both of
01:36them together in a comprehensive way.
01:40So first and foremost, I wouldn't be here without Dr. Rowley.
01:43He serves as an inspiration to many of us to know someone can start from walking to
01:48school barefoot in Mason Hall, Tobago, to be the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago,
01:52that's something that we can't take for granted.
01:55And Mr. Deveans wasted no time using his campaign slogan.
01:59Degomartin West has shown me so much support and it really is that as much as Degomartin
02:07West, I want to bring life to the pledge that they will be in good hands, I am in good hands
02:11because Degomartin West is with me.
02:13Words are similar to what the chairman of the PNM's screening committee, Prime Minister
02:17Rowley had to say more than a week earlier.
02:20I know I am leaving you in good hands.
02:27Mr. Deveans was asked if he thought the screening process for the PNM's candidacy for Degomartin
02:33West was fair and democratic.
02:35Yes, I do.
02:36I mean, we all had to go through the screening committee and that's what the People's National
02:41Movement stands for.
02:42We stand for the right things and we move forward in the correct and right way.
02:46Former Government Senator Joachim Abefelemi, who had sought to be the PNM's candidate for
02:50Degomartin West, endorsed Mr. Deveans and the screening process.
02:55Our Prime Minister has a democratic right and he's allowed to choose who he sees.
03:00The 2025 general election will mark the first political campaign for Mr. Deveans.
03:06What is your priority in terms of the campaign?
03:08What are the issues you would like to have addressed during the campaign?
03:12Well, more and more it is connecting with the constituents of Degomartin West, communicating.
03:18We're going to listen more.
03:19We're going to work with the constituency as best as possible to continue building on
03:24the foundation that Dr. Rowley has already set and the People's National Movement has
03:28made in Degomartin West.
03:29Degomartin West does best when we all do best and indeed, again, in good hands.
03:34The work starts immediately.
03:36Covene Road, we are coming to you.
03:38Mr. Deveans told TV6 News that he would be meeting with constituents on Tuesday in a
03:43constituency where the PNM will have a new candidate for the first time since the early
03:491990s.
03:51Jule Brown, TV6 News.
Comments