Incumbent MPs for Laventille East and Laventille West–Donna Cox and Nileung Hypolite–will be spending their last days in office ahead of the impending general election which are constitutionally due no later than September this year.Both were rejected by the People's National Movement's screening committee on Wednesday night as the party continued selection of election candidates.
Cox and two other nominees – Jeffery Reyes and Ken Wright – were told by the committee, which is chaired by party leader Dr Keith Rowley, that they were "unsuitable" to represent the party in the Laventille East seat.The Barataria/San Juan candidates were also deemed unsuitable and the constituency was asked to find new nominees.Former MP Fitzgerald Hinds was eventually chosen as the party's candidate for Laventille West, defeating Hypolite, retired police officer Terry Young and Akil Audain.
Vice-chairman of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation Esmond Forde was the other successful candidate, as he was given the nod for the Tunapuna seat.Attempts to contact Hypolite yesterday were unsuccessful as calls to his cellphone went unanswered for most of the day.But before Wednesday's screening he said he would remain committed to the PNM even if he was not selected as the candidate.
However, he said he felt he was a better candidate than Hinds, adding that the former Laventille East/Morvant MP would not be able to hit the ground running as quickly as he could.Forde, meanwhile, said he was committed to ensuring the PNM won the Tunapuna seat now held by the People's Partnership's Winston Dookeran.
Saying he believed he was chosen because of his representation as a councillor, he said he was "a people's person" who took an oath as a councillor to represent "every member in the community, East Indians, Chinese, French Creoles, negroes, everyone I represent."He said he may also have been chosen because many people see him as being similar to former Tunapuna MP Eddie Hart.
Angry MP
On Wednesday, Cox arrived at Balisier House before 7 pm with a small group of supporters who chanted: "We winning with Donna."Elections Officer of the constituency Michael Eastman told reporters before the screening the constituents wanted Cox to be selected to contest the seat as she was the best MP for the constituency.Hours later after being screened a visibly angry Cox departed Balisier House.
Party general secretary Ford later said Cox "will not be contesting the seat for the PNM in the next general election." He said the constituency executive was told to "find a new nominee or nominees." Cox was first elected as a Government MP in November 2007 under former prime minister Patrick Manning and re-elected in May 2010 as an Opposition MP following the defeat of the PNM by the People's Partnership.
Cox and Hypolite joined San Fernando East MP and former prime minister Patrick Manning and Point Fortin MP Paula Gopee-Scoon as incumbents who will not be part of the general election process.Manning failed to appear before the screening committee in January on grounds of ill-health after initially indicating his desire to run again, while Gopee-Scoon announced she would not be running again.
La Brea MP Fitzgerald Jeffrey also appeared before the screening committee but was told the committee's decision was pending.Arouca/Maloney MP Alicia Hospedales is being challenged by Senator Camille Robinson-Regis, the woman she replaced as MP in 2007.