PNM completes first round of general election screening… Mukesh Ramsingh to contest in Pointe-a-Pierre

Gail Alexander

Senior Political Reporter

Central businessman Mukesh Ramsingh, son of prominent Couva businessman Nal Ramsingh, has been selected by the PNM to contest the Pointe-a-Pierre constituency in the upcoming general election (GE).

Meanwhile, the sons of former deceased PNM MPs Franklin Khan and Manic Ramsaran are in the running among PNM nominees for Fyzabad and Caroni East, respectively. This was confirmed by PNM executive officials early yesterday morning after they completed the PNM’s first GE nominee screening exercise. That began last Friday evening and ended at 1 am yesterday.

In June, the PNM mandated units in nine opposition-held areas to seek nominees and present names by August 15 with screening. The screening for four South areas was expected to be done last Friday. The other five areas will be done tomorrow.

PNM’s team was expected to have screened nominees for Pointe-a-Pierre, Fyzabad, Mayaro, and Moruga-Tableland. But officials said only Pointe-a-Pierre was finalised, Fyzabad has to be completed, and Mayaro and Moruga were sent back to return next month.

Those screened for Pointe-a-Pierre were tourism sector businessman Ramsingh, Greater San Fernando Chamber of Commerce president Kiran Singh, businessman Clyde Rambarran, former track and field star Kirdell McIntosh, and coach Sherwin Joseph.

Ramsingh, who was former Couva/Pt Lisas chamber president, has been a businessman in the district for 30 years. His father, prominent Couva businessman Nal Ramsingh, is a longstanding PNM stalwart, particularly active in the Patrick Manning PNM.

Franklin Khan’s son seeking Fyzabad

Screening was incomplete for Fyzabad, where one of the five nominees was absent.

The five are former UNC member/Siparia West Fyzabad councillor Jason Ali, businessman Kheron Khan, Richard Gooding, Roger Supersad, and former local government candidate Kamaludeen Ghanny Khan, who’s involved in the energy sector, and who was reportedly overseas, PNM Fyzabad officials said.

They added that Khan is the son of former Ortoire-Mayaro MP and former PNM chairman Franklin Khan, who died in 2021. PNM party officials said Moruga-Tableland nominees were screened first on Friday. They were educator Lisa Atwater, management expert Kerneisha Prince-King, former 2023 local government candidate Emmanuel Pierre, and administrator Geanne Graham.

But Moruga-Tableland’s executives were asked to examine its situation and return in September, they added. Officials said Mayaro’s five nominees were also screened: oilfield consultant Antonio Decklan Ross, accountant Janessa Campbell, attorney Asha Hardeo-Dhanpat, businessman Bunny Sankar Mahabirsingh, and medical social worker Rene McLashie-Mayers.

Mayaro’s executive was also sent back to expand nominees and return on September 3.

Manic’s son seeks Caroni East on Monday

Tomorrow’s screening at PNM’s Balisier House head office includes Caroni East, where nominees are Ragiv Moonan-Ramsaran, Leena Rampersad, Preiman Dayram, and Alicia Ali.

PNM officials said project management specialist/chemist and businessman Moonan-Ramsaran is the son of former PNM longstanding, deceased Caroni East MP Manichan “Manic” Ramsaran.

The latter, who died in 2019, was MP from 1981-86, representing the area for PNM twice

Nominees for the four other seats to be screened are:

BARATARIA/SAN JUAN: Senate vice president Dr Muhammed Yunus Ibrahim, Social Development Minister Donna Cox, police officer Roger Mohammed, and businessman Shareek Ali. San Juan councillor Sudbir Sagramsingh withdrew.

ST AUGUSTINE: PNM Senator/Minister in the Attorney General’s Ministry Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal. In the 2020 general election, Sagramsingh-Sooklal lost her attempt at St Augustine to UNC’s Kadijah Ameen, whose 11,943 votes defeated Sagramsingh-Sooklal’s 5,264.

CUMUTO-MANZANILLA: Communication specialist Sabitree Singh-Saunders and procurement officer Latoya Reyes.

CHAGUANAS EAST: Minister in the Ministry of Works/PNM Senator Richie Sookhai. He recently said it was “high time” there was a PNM representative in Caroni East, but it could only be done if there was unification among PNM party groups.

The nine constituencies are presently represented by opposition MPs, who all filed nominations to contest again: St Augustine (Kadijah Ameen), Fyzabad (Dr Lackram Bodoe), Pointe-a-Pierre (David Lee), Mayaro (Rushton Paray), Cumuto-Manzanilla (Dr Rai Ragbir), Caroni East (Dr Rishad Seecheran), Chaguanas East (Vandana Mohit), Moruga-Tableland (Michelle Benjamin), Barataria/San Juan (Saddam Hosein).

The post PNM completes first round of general election screening… Mukesh Ramsingh to contest in Pointe-a-Pierre first appeared on CNC3.