Alexander: Three Diego NE polling stations not ready

Phillip Edward Alexander, leader of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP), says he was told at least three polling stations in the Diego Martin North/East constituency were not ready and that voters may have to cross into Diego Martin Central.

Alexander made the comments as he filed his nomination papers at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex, Savannah Terrace, Bagatelle, Diego Martin.

He added that while Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) staff were as “helpful as they could be” during the nomination process, it was hard to understand how “a government could have the decision-making process as to when we are going to have an election and knowing they have all of that time and still make so many mistakes.”

He asked how difficult it was to get right something as simple as co-ordinating an election.

At the time of reporting, infrastructure work was taking place on the Diego Martin Main Road.

He commented, “This is TT. It is Christmas time when you smell paint, and it is election time when you see pitch.

"It shouldn’t be. That is a stunt. There is a value to that, that is treasury money.

“We should have an idea as to what is the plan. What is the process by which these contracts are awarded? How much they charging, what we paying – all of these things.”

Alexander added that he did not know what would happen to the economy after the 2020 election.

"The present Government broke the economy prior to covid19, and then covid19 burnt what was left to the ground. So we in real trouble as a country.”

The PNM’s Diego Martin North/East candidate Colm Imbert was filing his nomination at the same time. PNM supporters were dancing and waving flags as music played.

Alexander said, “All these people who stunting for Colm Imbert, waving flag for him this morning, their children in trouble and their grandchildren in trouble and they don’t know.

“They are like drunk people outside of a fete who don’t know the bill will come one day and Colm will jump on a plane and fly out (and) leave all of them there outside empty groceries.”

He added that PEP wants to be an opportunity for all the good and decent people in TT, regardless of race or class, to have a good life.