The family of independent People’s National Movement candidate Chinua Alleyne have filed a report with Woodbrook police, after someone pulled down security cameras from their Woodbrook property, which is also being used Alleyne’s campaign headquarters
Alleyne confirmed the situation on Thursday night soon after the incident occurred at 10.54 pm. He said he was in Tobago campaigning when his mother, Dr Petronella Manning-Alleyne and brother Konata contacted him immediately after it occurred.
Alleyne is seeking the post of PNM general secretary in tomorrow’s internal executive election. He’s contesting against Foster Cummings, who is the candidate offered by the Team Red Rowley slate headed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
Team Rowley and various independent candidates are fighting for 11 of the 16 executive posts up for grabs in the poll. Five other posts have already been secured by Team Rowley unopposed.
Yesterday, Konata Alleyene told the T&T Guardian, “Three cameras which were on our building were ripped down and thrown on the ground by a man who is captured on camera. The cameras were left lying on the ground. The police came, walked around and asked questions and we showed them the videos.”
The last photo recorded by the security cameras was of a slim built man in a hoodie approaching the direction of the cameras.
Candidate Alleyene, currently PNM’s Youth Officer, said,”I was in Tobago when I received news of what happened and naturally it came as a shock.
“We’ve run a very clean campaign; it’s something I insisted on and that I’m quite proud of, so I wouldn’t want to think that this is election-linked. But having an attack to my campaign headquarters, where all my volunteers and key personnel meet to strategise and move the campaign forward does cause one to pause.”
He added, “I’m supremely thankful that the only damage suffered was to property and not to person. We have regrouped and will continue to push forward to do the work that’s needed ahead of Sunday’s election.”
Earlier this week, Alleyne’s lawyer wrote the PNM’s election committee complaining of alleged “unfairness” of the conduct of the poll, since Team Rowley was using a symbol. They claimed the election team had been divided on allowing symbols but this was allowed anyway. Election committee head Murchison Browne, denying any untoward activity, said symbols were optional and if candidates didn’t use them they won’t be disqualified,
Thursday’s night’s incident at Alleyne’s home was the second issue in the campaign which has had to be reported to police. A few weeks ago, PNM Youth League chairman Saleem Neptune filed a report at the St Clair Police Station after he received an anonymous phone call from a man who warned his to “stay out” of PNM’s election. Neptune subsequently spoke on an Aranguez platform in support of Alleyne and other independent candidates Mustapha Abdul-Hamid (contesting chairmanship) and Hillen Morean (Youth officer).
Voting takes place tomorrow in all constituencies.