- 11 months ago
Another of the five who challenged the leadership of the UNC last year, Anita Haynes Alleyne is being screened on Wednesday evening as she tries to keep her candidacy for the Tabaquite seat.
We join Urvashi Tiwari Roopnarine who is on the ground at the UNC's headquarters.
We join Urvashi Tiwari Roopnarine who is on the ground at the UNC's headquarters.
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00:00Well, we heard a short while ago that one of the UNC dissidents, Dr. Rai Ragbir,
00:04who is refusing to be screened by a Kamla Masad possessor-led panel,
00:09is open to joining the PNM.
00:11Meanwhile, another of the five who challenged the leadership of the UNC last year,
00:16Anita Hainz Alain, is being screened this evening
00:19as she tries to keep her candidacy for the Tabakit seat.
00:23We join Urvashi Tewari Rupnarain, who is on the ground at the UNC headquarters.
00:27Urvashi?
00:29Hello, very good evening to you, Disha, and to our viewers on TV6.
00:32Yes, I'm coming to you once again for the second time this week
00:36from the UNC headquarters on Mulchan Siu Chan Road in Chagonas.
00:39Of course, this is the second of three screening sessions to be held by the UNC.
00:45Now, this evening, they will be screening three candidates in all.
00:48One for the La Brea and Point Fortin seats.
00:52Those will be represented by members of the trade union movement, Clyde Elder.
00:56You may remember him as a former executive of the CWU.
01:00He will be going up for the La Brea seat.
01:03And of course, Ernesto Quezada, he is a member of the OWTU for the Point Fortin seat.
01:09One of the other seats being screened this evening is the Tabakit seat.
01:12I have with me the incumbent MP, Anita Hainz.
01:15Of course, Ms. Hainz, thank you so much for agreeing to join us here this evening.
01:19Well, thank you for having me. Happy to be here.
01:21Of course, your interest in being here and offering yourself up again.
01:25Now, you have been described along with some of your MPs as dissidents.
01:29How do you take to that term?
01:30And why are you specifically here to represent this constituency once again?
01:35Absolutely. I mean, since the internal elections, we've been trying to go away from the term dissidents
01:40because what are we dissenting to?
01:41The group of us initially called for internal elections to be held when they were constitutionally due.
01:46And when the internal elections were held, we participated as part of the democratic process.
01:51Since then, the team that participated has remained committed to the United National Congress.
01:56And so we're not dissenting to anything.
01:58What we are standing for is democracy within our own organization.
02:02So for me, I see no difficulty in screening for this seat simply because I took part in an internal process.
02:09And this is my way of showing that democracy is certainly alive and well.
02:13On my end, the decision of the screening committee will tell us whether or not democracy is alive and well in the United National Congress.
02:19Do you think you'll be treated fairly?
02:20Of course, you're going up against one of your colleagues, Sean Sobers.
02:25You know, once I am judged on my performance as a member of Parliament
02:30and as a member of the United National Congress, having served as the party's PRO,
02:34having worked in numerous marginal seats, including helping Mr Sobers when he ran in San Fernando West,
02:41I think that I would have the best chance here, you know, if they are using other determining factors as well.
02:47Of course, there was a split in the executive during the internal election.
02:51Some have chosen to support Mr Sobers and some are still backing you.
02:56How does that affect your chances?
02:57Well, some are generous too.
02:58One person is supporting Sean Sobers.
03:00The rest are standing behind you, supporting me.
03:02So some is very generous.
03:05This is our one man, one vote in the United National Congress.
03:08We have the majority of the votes.
03:10And of course, we heard just earlier today, the story that ran just before we came live with you,
03:15who said that Dr Rye Ragbir, one of the ones who had been referred to as a dissident,
03:20indicated that he has no problem, given that he no longer wants to, he still wants to serve his people.
03:25He doesn't mind doing it under another flag.
03:27He doesn't mind joining the PNM.
03:29Your thoughts on this?
03:30If you are not selected by the screening committee tonight, will your allegiance with the UNC change?
03:35You know, the thing is, I will not go into the screening, face any screening committee and preclude their decision.
03:42The question of what happens after will be dealt with after.
03:45But as it stands, and I have said time and time again, the principles of the United National Congress,
03:51which is equality for people of Trinidad and Tobago, equitable access to resources,
03:55those are things that we always stand by.
03:57And the people of Tabukid stand with me on that.
04:00And of course, how would you rate yourself for the past few years that you have served
04:04and what will you change going forward?
04:06You know, there's a great difficulty serving in opposition politics.
04:11And my only goal during the internal elections, and since the internal elections,
04:15is strengthening the UNC for a stronger Trinidad and Tobago.
04:18And once a strong, united UNC can win the general election, we will see much better service across the board.
04:24Until then, we will continue on this path.
04:27Is there anything else you'd like to say in closing?
04:29No, just that I am happy to be here and I have done my part.
04:34At the end of the day, the screening committee will make their decision
04:37and the nation will adjudicate on that decision that's made.
04:39Ms. Haynes-Lemme, thank you so much for joining us
04:42and for, of course, sharing your views with us here this evening.
04:46I have one other thing.
04:47My dress is pink, I'm not red, in case I'll be very much red.
04:50Note to the public.
04:52Note to the public.
04:53Thank you so much again.
04:54And of course, earlier today, we did mention that the opposition leader,
04:58she met with the respective candidates for the Liberal 1.14 seats.
05:04Here's a little bit about what she had to say.
05:06She did indicate that no party can expect to go into governance,
05:11that seat in governance, without having workers on their side.
05:16We must involve the workers.
05:18No country can go forward without workers.
05:21And therefore, we have unions here representing two seats,
05:24but there are workers throughout the country.
05:26I talked about a workers' agenda.
05:28We have worked this structure down, not just with Mr. Rozier and the OWTO.
05:33We met several other unions here over the past two years.
05:36They may not actually be contesting a seat,
05:38but they are part of us with a commitment to the workers' agenda.
05:42So it is vital that the workers be involved and be included in any bid
05:46to govern Trinidad and Tobago as we go forward.
05:49They have treated workers in this country worse than slaves.
05:57So the opposition leader also took time to address matters on the labour front.
06:02She said that the opposition, the UNC, is against the government
06:06quote-unquote giving out the refinery to any company at this point in time.
06:10She said the company shortlisted has several legal matters to answer for.
06:20Of course, it's not officially that the government has held cabinet meetings
06:24about a company that they want to give the refinery to.
06:28Now, they've done this before every single election.
06:31They promised it and it never happened.
06:33So it's always like a carrot and a stick that they're holding out there
06:36that they will give the refinery, they give the refinery, they will not give it.
06:40We have several concerns.
06:41Now is not the time for the government to rush into any private deal
06:46with any company to sell out the refinery or give away the refinery.
06:50Now is not the time on the eve of an election.
06:54Secondly, the procurement regulator and the procurement legislation
06:57must be brought into play.
06:59This should not be something for a cabinet to make a decision about.
07:03This is about the birthright.
07:05This is about the inheritance.
07:07This is about the people and the workers of Trinidad.
07:13Well, Disha, that was just a short synopsis of the events
07:16here at the UNC headquarters in Chagones this evening.
07:19Of course, our viewers can look out for a full story interviews
07:23with all the candidates in tomorrow's newscast.
07:26It's back to you.
07:27Thanks, Urvashi. You're watching the TV6 News. We'll be right back.
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