Former People’s National Movement (PNM) MP Indra Sinanan Ojah-Maharaj has denied that she mandated two party activists to intimidate, bully, threaten and verbally abuse Toco/Sangre Grande constituents in the lead-up to the constituency’s executive election. The election, which was held on September 2, was contested by two PNM teams. Emerging victorious under the incumbent constituency executive was Cuthbert Pierre, who won the chairman’s post over his rival Wayne Alonzo.
Pierre obtained 57 votes, while Alonzo got 36. The election saw 22 positions up for grabs with Pierre’s team being successful at the polls. However, Ojah-Maharaj last week described the allegations as mischievous and untrue. “I was not present for the election nor did I mandate anyone to do such acts. I am smarter than that to instigate such things against our PNM brothers and sisters.” Ojah-Maharaj said she would never put one PNM group against another.
Ojah-Maharaj’s brother is Rohan Sinanan, deputy political leader of the PNM and campaign manager for the upcoming general election. Public relations officer of party group 25, Eltina Robinson, alleged that some activists were mandated to bully, threaten and abuse party members in an attempt to control the elections.
A long-standing member of the PNM, Robinson, of Salybia Grey Trace, Salybia, said constituents were told that if they did not support the team under Alonzo, “they would be punished and would get nothing when the party gets into government in 2015.”
Robinson also alleged that a fracas took place between two PNM activists from the opposing sides prior to the election.
Having fallen ill on the day of the election, Robinson said she was visited by the opposing team who wanted to bodily remove her from her home to get her vote. “I had to object because they were behaving like hooligans. I told them to leave and not to come back because I realise they were trying to steal the election.
Toco/Sangre Grande is not for sale and the people’s voices must be heard and no amount of bullying, threatening and lying will stifle the will of the people. This does not shed a good light on the PNM.”
Robinson said the new executive recognised that with the runoff legislation in place every member must work together to bring victory home. A PNM member for 30 years, Robinson said the behaviour demonstrated was not in the best interest of the constituency. “Other groups are still asking me what is going on.” She intends to write a letter to party chairman Franklin Khan and Pierre about the incident.
Robinson said she hoped the PNM did not select Ojah-Maharaj to contest the seat for the upcoming general election because she did nothing for constituents as an MP. “I am telling you, if we see Indra in this village twice as MP we see her plenty.” Robinson is throwing her support behind former chairman of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation, lawyer Ronald Boynes.
Despite the pulling and tugging, Robinson was optimistic that the PNM could regain the seat, which was won by Dr Rupert Griffith in 2010.
