(Trinidad Express) The office of the Member of Parliament for Moruga/Tabeland was severely damaged by fire on Thursday.
And MP Michelle Benjamin is questioning whether it was an act of sabotage, as the incident occurred hours after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced that the Hindustan/St Mary’s/Princes Town electoral district will be among five regional corporations to hold bye-elections in January.
Benjamin was the councillor for the Hindustan/St Mary’s/Princes Town electoral district.
Rowley stated on Wednesday that five local government corporations will hold bye-elections to fill vacancies left by the election of former councillors as MPs.
The elections will be held on January 25.
Benjamin said it was not the first time she had fallen victim to sabotage, as in October her constituency office was broken into. Images of the burglar, she said, were captured on surveillance camera.
Benjamin said the fire destroyed a major part of the wooden building located at Petite Café, Indian Walk.
She said, “I had Parliament yesterday and I arrived at the building at around 9.50pm. My driver picked up his vehicle and we left. I received a call at around 1am that my office was on fire.”
By the time she arrived, Benjamin said, the building was engulfed in flames.
Benjamin said she was not convinced that the blaze was caused by faulty electrical wires as her electrical supply and air conditioning unit had been serviced recently.
“I don’t have a lot in that building. I have appliances and two computers. And around this holiday time I would have some hampers,” she said.
The fire, she said, started in a room that stores the computers and camera system.
“I don’t have a lot in that building. I have appliances and two computers. And around this holiday time I would have some hampers to distribute during the holiday season,” she said.
Fire officers visited the scene and are continuing investigations.