Friday 12th December 2014 By Ricardo Gladiator Welch VOTERS DONT WANT HINDS IN LAVENTILLE WEST OR LAVENTILLE EAST/MORVANT Peoples National Movement Youth Officer Fitzgerald Hinds, it is rumored, has been eying two PNM stronghold constituencies hes desirous of being its next candidate for the 2015 General Election. While many people have declared that they will not vote for him; Hinds still seeks to replace either incumbents of Laventille West MP NiLeung Hypolite or Laventille East/Morvant MP Donna Cox. Moreover, he seems to know and has the strongest confidence that his personal and best friend Dr Keith Rowley who is also the leader of the PNM party and the Screening Committee will give him the nod over either incumbents. The youths of the area are troubled and disappointed over the rumors of Hinds wanting to return as a member of parliament for the area. Some youths went as far in saying Hinds, who is in his late 50’s, is too old and not au courant to understand the modern thinking and mood of the youths in both constituencies. Recently, a youth stated: “he’s a total failure and can’t speak on our behalf” . Hinds has had a bad history with the youths of Laventille since being elected for Laventille East/Morvant in 1995, 2000, 2001 and 2002. Hinds has been declared persona non grata by many in Laventille (both old and young living in the area); a total failure; and non-performer. Hinds was replaced by disenchanted voters in the 2007 general election. He has had many a grave nightmare and a terrible tabanca for Laventille East/Morvant. Hinds knows that his friend Dr Rowley will make him the next candidate to replace either incumbents irrespective of protest from constituents. The youths just dont want to see the flesh of Hinds and will not give him their blessings. Nonetheless, Hinds seems to know in advance the PNM’s Screening Committee choice. Meanwhile, in todays Guardian a story by Gail Alexander is reported to have stated: - The name of former government minister Christine Kangaloo has arisen in some of the party’s San Fernando East circles in the event the incumbent MP Patrick Manning does not wish to contest the seat, PNM officials said yesterday. Kangaloo, an attorney and minister in the Manning administration, was among speakers at the PNM’s November 16 convention when she launched a stinging verbal attack on the Prime Minister. She could not be reached for comment yesterday. After a letter from PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley to Manning was leaked to a newspaper a few days ago, the San Fernando East executive met on Wednesday, then sent a renewed appeal to PNM general secretary Ashton Ford to change the deadline for nominations from December 22 to January 3. The unit said Manning’s medical evaluation, to assess whether he can contest, would be done on December 23. The executive asked Ford to “use your good office of trust and influence to support and facilitate, not to deny and frustrate... we provide you with the assurance that any extension to the deadline for nominations to a date after the holiday period will not have any adverse impact on the preparation of the constituency. The executive sent the letter, dated December 10, to Ford by e-mail and hand-delivered it to Balisier House on Wednesday. Yesterday Ford was non-committal, saying he had not seen the letter. Group pleads Manning’s case The unit’s letter said it was grateful for the reference in Rowley’s letter to “private discussions” with Manning, since it served to confirm it has not been out of order or outside the PNM’s constitution for the leader to discuss matters with individual MPs. On the leadership’s first nomination extension, from December 15 to December 22, the executive said: “The extension granted is rendered meaningless for it completely ignores the reasons offered by the executive for the request in the first place. “It’s a nominal extension for it doesn’t allow us the opportunity to satisfy the purpose of the request. It certainly creates the impression that our request may not have been taken seriously. “It was as a consequence of our request and insistence to our MP that he reconsider his previous position with respect to his availability to accept a nomination, that he agreed (to reconsider) subject to a medical evaluation. This medical evaluation is now scheduled to take place during December 23 to December 31. “ There are several medical doctors involved in this exercise, at least one of whom will arrive from the United States. It’s simply not humanly possible for the evaluation to be completed by December 22.” Praising Manning’s service, the unit wrote: “Notwithstanding uncouth, malicious, or disrespectful voices from outside the constituency, we continue to hold Mr Manning in high regard... as he has stood by us, we have stood by him and propose to continue to do so. “Accordingly, we consider permitting the time to allow for his medical assessment to be conducted to be eminently reasonable, respectful, courteous and to the advantage of our constituency. It is absolutely the constituency’s wish to benefit from the report of Mr Manning’s medical team before we proceed.” The letter added: “In all the circumstances and particularly that of our justification, we consider it bizarre (for) the extension (to) be limited to December 22. “There are five working days between December 23 and December 31, two of which are Christmas Eve and Old Year’s Day. Balisier House is scheduled to be closed over several of those days... as such we’re unable to understand the rationale or merit in denial of the extension over this period.” The executive said the nomination process had to involve party groups, which would hardly be available over the Christmas period.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:27:38 +0000