United National Congress supporters living in the constituency of San Fernando East say they are in full support of the Election and Boundaries Commission’s proposal to move their polling divisions to San Fernando West as they believe their vote will finally count.
Living in the San Fernando East constituency, they’ve grown accustomed to the People’s National Movement winning that seat, in fact, the party has never lost it.
Now they say they have a reason to vote.
They reside along Rushworth and Blanche Fraser streets which fall within polling divisions 4190 and 4195, the two the EBC proposed to be transferred to San Fernando West. The Opposition Leader on April 15, said the move would benefit the PNM, but that may not necessarily be so.
One resident along Blanche Fraser Street said she and her husband were strong UNC supporters and they fully endorsed the EBC’s proposal.
“I think it’s a good thing because for the past years I’ve been living here, it’s just one party winning, now I will be more encouraged to vote, over the years I go to vote I know the result would always be the same, now I want to vote,” said the business owner, who asked to remain anonymous due to the political nature of the topic.
A few houses away, another elderly woman, who also asked for anonymity, said she and her husband have always voted for UNC in the PNM stronghold. She too is welcoming a change.
“I think it is a very very good idea, I’ve always been a UNC supporter, I am very much in support of the EBC’s proposal.
But Patricia Serette did not hide her identity or allegiance. She proudly declared her support for the PNM and said she does not mind taking her vote to a marginal seat.
“I could help the PNM as long as I know what the candidate stands for, you have to believe that vote will count.”
Serette admitted that she was not aware of the EBC’s proposal but to her, it does not matter as much, she will continue to vote for the PNM.
A resident of Rushworth Street said he has grown accustomed to the political game in the San Fernando East constituency. He said in the past the voting population in the constituency had been altered by way of HDC homes. The man said there were a lot more people of East Indian descent in the San Fernando East constituency in the past. He says the EBC’s proposal is just another move in the chess game of politics.
Parliament will decide on the transfer of the polling divisions for those two constituencies as one of several proposals submitted to the House of Representatives.