Councillor who crossed floor labelled traitor
Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Wearing a red tie to mark his official switch from the UNC to the PNM, Siparia West/Fyzabad councillor Jason Ali sat with eyes downcast as Siparia Mayor Doodnath Mayrhoo gave him a severe tongue-lashing accusing him of being a traitor to the people who elected him.
It was the first official Statutory Meeting held at the Siparia Borough Corporation chambers, with Ali changing seats from the UNC side to the PNM. His cross-over means the UNC now has seven members and the PNM has six, including aldermen.
While the PNM councillors—Ronald Prince, Alderman Christopher Max Encias, and Jillon Lewis—welcomed him, UNC councillors Ramona Victor, Javed Mohammed, Victor Roberts, Sherryann Choonoo-Lasse, Shankar Teelucksingh, and Mayor Mayrhoo expressed disappointment in Ali’s decision as they called on him to vacate his seat and trigger a by-election.
Prince, observing Ali’s red tie, declared, “We red and ready,” while Alderman Encias added, “Who else? We have space on this side!”
Encias noted that even though Ali was voted in as a UNC representative, his decision to align with the PNM was a welcomed move.
However, when Mayor Mayrhoo rose to speak, he labelled Ali as a traitor.
“You betrayed the trust of the people from Siparia West/Fyzabad, and you know why? Because of greed for power. You couldn’t wait! You come today, one year before, to betray the people. That is a betrayal of trust,” he thundered.
“Panday (Basdeo Panday) used to say ‘Nemarkaram,’ (which means ungrateful). You are in no position to dictate to the UNC if we want to put a shadow councillor. You out of place.”
Mayor Mayrhoo announced that councillor Victor Roberts was now the UNC’s shadow councillor for Siparia West/Fyzabad. Advising Ali to go home and think about what he did, Mayrhoo said, “The UNC people don’t want to see you in Siparia West/Fyzabad. Your own friends are bad talking you on social media.”
But Ali denied he was a traitor, saying he left the party, which ostracised him when he chose to support Rushton Paray’s United Patriots slate.
He said joining the PNM meant more resources would be made available to help constituents. “To those who say I am a traitor, what I did was put my political career on the line. I may seek re-election in 2027 for this seat,” he said.
Ali also denied any betrayal or acceptance of a bribe, claiming, “No, no, I did it of my own free will.”
Last Friday, Ali was screened by the PNM to contest the Fyzabad seat. When asked if his nominations were successful, Ali challenged the mayor to contest against him, vowing that the mayor would lose if he contested. But Mayrhoo later said that Ali’s grouse started when he was blanked from the mayorial position last August. At that time, Ali publicly came out, saying he had been selected as the mayor.
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