Former St Joseph MP Herbert Volney, who says he will only do ILP walkabouts for the St Joseph by election if "absolutely necessary," is now supportive of ILP candidate Om Lalla.Three weeks ago, when Lalla's name surfaced as ILP's front-runner for the St Joseph candidacy, Volney said he didn't think Lalla was a good choice and he would give ILP leader Jack Warner another name for the candidacy.
Following announcement of Lalla as the candidate, however, Volney said the person whom he had suggested to Warner had been screened along with seven others by the ILP, but wasn't selected. Volney said his pick wasn't ready to give up his current job.Volney said he would give ILP logistical and strategic support for the campaign but would only do walkabouts if "absolutely necessary."
On Lalla, the former MP said: "I think he has a very good chance. The configuration of the other candidates now, places him in a favourable position to take the seat. I think more UNC people will support him than originally expected, especially since UNC's candidate is Ian Alleyne. "Constitutents I've spoken to are totally dismayed at the UNC's choice of Alleyne to become an MP. They don't see him as suited for that.
"I'm disappointed the Prime Minister didn't send up a senior cabinet member, who I would have thought would have given Lalla and Terrence Deyalsingh a fight."Volney added, "But I don't think St Joseph people save hardcore PNMites will vote for Deyalsingh either. He's not a bread-and-butter type of guy and seems more comfortable in the presence of his Balisier House colleagues than with the common man."
UNC St Joseph co-ordinator Ganga Singh said Alleyne will be walking St Joseph during the campaign period along with a team of supporters, PP officials and ministers.However, former head of missions Reginald Dumas said Alleyene had damaged his chances by giving the impression he wasn't contesting and changing that one week later.
Dumas added: "This would make it easy for other platforms to say he said one thing one week and changed it the next. He's undermined his chances, but whether it's fatal, I can't say. Nor can I comment on his platform debut since I didn't see it."MSJ leader David Abdulah, whose party is supporting Independent Errol Fabien, said he would be walking with Fabien. The latter said yesterday he is "working" the constituency daily and calls on residents all over the seat.