00:00The battle is on for what many call the UNC safe seat of Taberkeet.
00:06Currently held by Anita Haynes, she and four others have been labelled dissidents
00:11following the party's internal election in 2024.
00:15Since the internal elections we've been trying to go away from the term dissidents
00:19because what are we dissenting to?
00:21The group of us initially called for internal elections to be held when they were constitutionally due
00:25and when the internal elections were held we participated as part of the democratic process.
00:30Since then, the team that participated has remained committed to the United National Congress
00:36and so we're not dissenting to anything.
00:38What we're standing for is democracy within our own organization.
00:41Haynes says she's backed by the majority of the constituency executive.
00:46One person is supporting Sean Sobers, the rest are standing behind you supporting me.
00:51The outcome is very generous. This is our one man, one vote in the United National Congress.
00:56We have the majority of the votes.
01:00Attorney-at-law Sean Sobers, who was not successful in his 2020 bid for San Fernando West,
01:06is hoping to snatch the candidacy from Haynes.
01:09I think my chances are pretty good with the constituency chairman executive behind me,
01:14liaising with many persons within the constituency.
01:17I understand the needs of the persons within the constituency
01:20and I think I'm quite poised to deliver to those persons as it pertains to their needs.
01:25The constituency chairman was at hand to share why she backed Sobers.
01:29In the last internal election, there was a split in the executive
01:33and I continued to stand in support of my party
01:37and I gave Sean Sobers the full support for the seat of Tabakit constituency
01:41because we share similar attributes.
01:43And Tabakit constituency deserves somebody who is on the ground,
01:48who is that warm body to the people.
01:50Drawing swords with the Kamala Bissau-Bissau backed slate,
01:53Haynes, Rushton Parry, Dinesh Ramboli, Rye Ragbir and Rodney Charles
01:58openly criticised Bissau-Bissau's leadership of the party, saying it was time for her to go.
02:04But this 2025 aspirant says it's time to move on democratically.
02:10Once I am judged on my performance as a Member of Parliament
02:15and as a Member of the United National Congress having served as the party's PRO,
02:19having worked in numerous marginal seats,
02:22including helping Mr Sobers when he ran in San Fernando West,
02:26I think that I would have the best chance here
02:29if they are using other determining factors as well.
02:32Meanwhile, Sobers says he's been on the ground
02:34and is well poised to represent the people of Tabakit.
02:38A lot of the issues being experienced in the constituency,
02:43a number of them are tied specifically to Tabakit,
02:46in terms of the road network,
02:48pretty elastically being experienced by the farmers and whatnot,
02:51but the general pervasive issue of crime
02:54and other issues that occur in the Tabakit constituency
02:57are well tethered throughout Trinidad and Tobago
03:00and it is more squarely pointed and connected to the chest of the PNM.
03:05That is the issue, the PNM.
03:07Though months have passed since the internal election,
03:10some, like Ragbir and Charles,
03:12continue their condemnation of the political leader,
03:15leaving even the others unable to fall back
03:18into the graces of the Posada-Besasa faction.
03:21What will the Screening Committee decide?
03:24Well, in the case of Haynes,
03:26she doesn't seem to be placing all her eggs in one yellow basket.
03:31So if you are not selected by the Screening Committee tonight,
03:34will your allegiance with the UNC change?
03:36You know, the thing is, I will not go into the Screening Committee.
03:39Facing the Screening Committee and preclude their decision,
03:43the question of what happens after will be dealt with after.
03:46But as it stands, and I have said time and time again,
03:49the principles of the United National Congress,
03:52which is equality for people of Trinidad and Tobago,
03:55equitable access to resources,
03:57those are things that we always stand by,
03:59and the people of Tabakit stand with me on that.
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