The UNC candidate for the Chaguanas West seat, Khadijah Ameen, has said “no” to a challenge for a public debate by her contender, Independent Liberal Party (ILP) interim leader Jack Warner. This is the second time in as many days a UNC woman has said “no” to proposals/challenges made by Warner. On Sunday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar denied his request to join her People’s Partnership after the July 29 by-election.
On Monday night, Ameen said “it was not worth getting into a debate with anyone” as her focus was on the people of Chaguanas West. She added: “I have said over-and-over, from day one as a nominee, that I am not in this battle to fight against anyone. I am in this battle to fight for the people of Chaguanas West. “When I go out there and I met people, the welcome that I got from them... it is really not worth getting into a debate with anyone.”
Ameen said she has offered herself to represent the constituency and would spend her time meeting and treating with the people, listening to their concerns, many of which would have come to her attention as chairman of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation. Warner issued the challenge during a cottage meeting at La Paille Village, Caroni, on Monday night, saying his main contender was a stranger to the constituency and not deserving of the people’s support.
He identified July 19 as a possible date for the showdown, giving an insight into some of the questions he would pose to prove the point. “I will ask her, in the debate, to name ten streets. In fact, not ten, but to name two streets in Chaguanas West.” Warner said he would name 20 streets and if she could, in fact, name five streets, “I would change my name.”
But Ameen said: “My challenge in this election is not against Mr Warner. I do not intend to attack him or any of the other candidates. My focus is on the people of Chaguanas West and I will keep it that way.”