The Congress of the People (COP) has identified four candidates to contest seats in the upcoming general election on September 7 and will soon be going to the bargaining table with its coalition partner, the United National Congress, to determine which additional seats it will contest.
In a press conference yesterday at the party's Flagship House, St Clair, COP political leader, Prakash Ramadhar announced that Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Lincoln Douglas, Diversity Minister Rodger Samuel and Ramadhar himself would be contesting seats in Lopinot/Bon Air West, Arima and St Augustine.
Former Arima deputy mayor, Patricia Cedeno-Metivier, was announced as a candidate to contest the D'Abadie/O'Meara constituency, once held by former sport minister Anil Roberts.
Cedeno-Metivier has acted as a "caretaker" MP since Roberts' resignation last year following the Life Sport scandal which unrooted wanton wastage and financial impropriety in a government social programme under his ministry. Ramadhar told the media COP would be going to the bargaining table with the UNC and said the party saw a successful panning for candidates.
He said he had spoken to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar about negotiations. "The COP will look to go back to the polls for the six seats it currently holds and possibly more. The real quest is for quality representation from the best candidate rather than the number of seats," Ramadhar said.
Responding to questions from the media, Ramadhar also defended the "No Rowley" campaign which was launched by the coalition government this weekend. He denied that the campaign was meant to discredit People's National Movement (PNM) political leader Dr Keith Rowley.
Ramadhar said the campaign was not meant to demonise Rowley but was seeking to ensure accountability. "It is a defence of the truth and not an attempt to demonise the Opposition Leader," he said. He called Rowley's allegations regarding the "emailgate" scandal as "reckless" and without merit. He said Rowley did not care about the people of T&T and said the country would regress under his leadership. Ramadhar refused to say who was funding the campaign which has a website called billboards, and uses radio and television advertisements to attack the Opposition Leader.