Malcolm Ferreira, who won the Albouystown/ Charlestown seat on March 18 on the Team Legacy ticket has denied that there was any deal with the governing APNU+AFC.
When it was first reported that APNU+AFC would not be contesting local government elections in constituency 10 of Georgetown there were immediate questions. The Albouystown/Charlestown area has long been considered a stronghold of the PNCR which is the largest party in the governing coalition.
One explanation for this decision which had been proffered was that the coalition entered into an arrangement with Team Legacy’s Ferreira. Sources say that the coalition made the decision to tacitly support the popular Ferreira rather than field their own candidate and risk defeat.
Ferreira however told Stabroek News he has no idea where that report could’ve started.
“No one approached me nor did anyone tell me anything like that. In our constituency those of us who contested were very respectful of each other. We campaigned on policies and ideas and the people made a choice. It shows what is possible when the larger parties don’t contest and hopefully the clean, policy-based campaign we ran will serve as a model for future elections,” Ferreira said.
Ferreira captured 1,070 votes and there was a strong showing by David Allicock of Team Benschop for Mayor who clinched 549 votes. David Williams of the PPP/C garnered 319 votes and Randolph Thorne, 184. Team Legacy also won one proportional representation seat on the council.
Asked if he believes there was any scope for persons to question his suitability for the position considering he had been charged in relation to domestic violence and appeared before the court, Ferreira answered in the negative.
He maintained that he had his day in court where the matter was aired and resolved. Ferreira in 2012 faced charges of assault and threatening language after an attempted reconciliation between him and his then wife led to an altercation.
The charges were dropped after his wife Sheranne Isaacs told the court she no longer wished to proceed. Her decision followed Ferreira presenting a written apology to the court expressing remorse.
