Khadijah Ameen remained unfazed yesterday, dismissing calls by St Joseph MP Herbert Volney for her to be withdrawn as the United National Congress (UNC) candidate for the Chaguanas West by-election. Speaking with reporters after presenting her preliminary nomination papers at the Elections and Boundaries Commission’s office, Chaguanas, said she remained focused on her campaign. “I know that there will be people who will feel the need to comment nationally. “There are many people who are political analysts and those who are not such but they are politicians in their own right and of course we respect their opinions but for me, as the UNC candidate, my focus is on the people,” she said.
Over the weekend, Volney reportedly said Ameen’s selection was “tantamount to insolence” and called on the UNC to withdraw her candidacy. However, yesterday, Ameen said: “Everyone has their opinion.”
She said she represented all young people who should be encouraged to come forward for leadership. She added: “Those who are our leaders of yesteryear have a role to play of advising and guiding us. “I think it is critical for young people to be encouraged to come forward as leaders and certainly as a person within the party in a decision-making role, I will be encouraging other young people to come on board.”
On Friday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced during a mass rally in Chaguanas that Ameen, the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation chairman, as the UNC’s choice to contest the July 29 by-election.
She was selected ahead of former Chaguanas West MP and former national security minister Jack Warner and Pundit Satyanand Mahabir. Ameen said she had served ten years as a councillor in her electoral district and “I intend to work just as enthusiastically with the people of Chaguanas West. I have been warmly embraced and I will continue to work with them.” Yesterday, Ameen, flanked by Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and the Economy, Rudranath Indarsingh, Chaguanas Mayor Orlando Nagessar and former Chaguanas West MP Manohar Ramsaran, presented her preliminary nomination documents to returning officer Everill Ross. “I brought my documents for Mr Ross to examine and advise if there were any faults so that when it was the actual nomination day, which was on the July 8 everything would be in order,” she said.
Ameen said Ross examined her documents and told her what additional items she would have to provide when the official form was delivered, so that there would be no errors or mistakes on nomination day.
She assured “the nomination papers for the UNC candidate is very much in order. On July 8 we will file the nominations officially.” Yesterday, Ameen’s former challenger, Pundit Mahabir, dressed in pundit attire, joined her at the office of the returning officer. He told reporters he was there to support Ameen. “We all are the UNC family. This is my sister and I must support her. We must get the seat for the party. This is all we are working for, nothing else but supporting our future MP. This is the person who is going to lead Chaguanas West,” Mahabir said.