(Trinidad Express) United National Congress (UNC) has pulled off an upset in the bye election for the Arima Central seat, one of five contested on Monday.
UNC candidate Sheldon Garcia has taken the seat from People’s National Movement (PNM) contender Dr Juliet Henry Bernard, who was seeking to replace outgoing councillor/mayor Lisa Morris – Julian.
Morris-Julian had served as councilor for the Arima Centra seat for seven years and mayor for four years.
Earlier today, the UNC’s campaign Manager, Barataria MP Saddam Hosein expressed confidence that Garcia would be victorious.
“We trust the process. The UNC complied with all election rules and we will conduct ourselves in a manner allowing a free and fair elections,” Hoesin said.
UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar made the announcement at a media conference at around 9pm. She said, “In the news tonight is the UNC has won the Arima Central seat. I was told before but I didn’t want to announce it until I saw the statement myself. And this confirms that Arima Central is now UNC.”
The UNC, she said, was now fortified and strengthened.
The UNC reported that Garcia won the seat with 764 votes, while the PNM secured 692.
The Hindustan/St Mary’s seat was returned to the UNC, Persad-Bissessar announced. The Express was told that UNC candidate Tylon Dwight Farrel won the seat by 96 votes, against PNM candidate Martina Loubon-Le Gendre.
The seat was previously held by Michelle Benjamin who contested the Moruga/Tableland seat in the August 2020 general elections. Benjamin won the seat for the UNC.
Persad-Bissessar said the Cunupia seat had also returned to the UNC.
Local government bye-elections were held in Arima Central (Arima Borough Corporation), Hindustan/St Mary’s (Princes Town Regional Corporation), Morne Coco/Alyce Glen (Diego Martin Regional Corporation), Hollywood (Point Fortin Regional Corporation) and Cunupia (Chaguanas Regional Corporation).
