Deputy Port-of-Spain mayor Hillan Morean is among several people being nominated for the PNM’s Port-of-Spain South seat.
Morean confirmed his position among nominees on Tuesday.
Last week, PoS South was mandated to seek nominees again after initially selected candidate Cleopatra Borel was dropped due to her dual US/T&T citizenship. Nominees will be screened by PNM’s screening team today.
The PoS South executive was meeting last night to consider proposed nominees named.
Apart from Morean, PoS South executive officials said names include management consultant Cheryl Ann Reyes, Nicola Harvey (non-governmental organisation activist/Children’s Authority member) Kent Taylor, councillor Aba Kamau.
A top Port-of-Span attorney was also said to be considering, but he didn’t confirm his position to Guardian Media yesterday.
Morean is in his second term as Port-of-Spain deputy mayor. He said he was approached by PoS South residents since last week when the executive was sent back to seek nominees.
“I thought about it and prayed, about it. I’d also spoken with the executive and to quite a few party groups. One has nominated me. I’m awaiting feedback from others,” Morean added.
Morean said he was accustomed to getting queries from youths in his area on why he hadn’t volunteered to become an MP, “so to expand the ability to offer a role model, I considered it this time.”
After Tuesday’s protests including in PoS South, Morean was asked if he was prepared to serve in Opposition if results came to that.
Morean replied, “I’m prepared to serve the party in all ways and fashion. But I’m confident the people will see the hard work the PNM’s put into T&T in the last term and will return us to government.”
UNC Caroni Central wants Tewarie over others
Also, UNC’s Caroni Central constituency executive expressed solid support for incumbent Bhoe Tewarie on Tuesday when UNC leadership officials interviewed the executive on nominees screened recently.
A Caroni Central executive spokesman said their group was asked about nominees for the seat including Tewarie, Arnold Ram, a female nominee and UNC general secretary Dev Tancoo.
On queries whether Caroni Central’s executive would support anyone else if Tewarie wasn’t chosen, executive officials said they told the panel they are 100 per cent behind Tewarie and wouldn’t support anyone else. On questions they were asked about Tancoo, executive officials said his name was a surprise to them, they knew him only as the general secretary and they gave an opinion on Tancoo.
The executive - which declined to be separated to give their opinion on nominees - said they’d come with one voice. They said while it was alright to have new MPs, but one couldn’t remove leaders and Tewarie was a leader in T&T.
Yesterday executive members said they simply echo the constituency’s support for Tewarie, “He’s worked very hard. The people see that they know him, trust him and seek his counsel.”
Last Friday, the UNC’s Couva South executive was also asked by two top UNC officials whether the area might accept a new candidate - a UNC official - instead of incumbent Rudy Indarsingh. But UNC Couva executive chairman Sharma Sooknanan - who declined comment on that report- said the executive stands unanimously behind Indarsingh whom he said did a great job for the last 10 years.