debut: 2/16/17
39,268 runs
Residents claim neglect by Faris led to his defeat in San Fernando West
For the first time in history, some residents of Embacadere, once considered a strong People’s National Movement territory, have switched sides saying they have found new hope in the United National Congress.When Guardian Media visited the area, a UNC flag hung from the apartment of resident Ann Isaac, at Block P, who said she decided not to support the PNM after, what she called, years of neglect.Isaac said she could not vote because of an issue with her ID card, yet she had publicly thrown support to the UNC long before the party won.
“I faced threats and intimidation during the campaign because I decided not to vote for the PNM. Basic needs were not being met, that’s why,” she explained.She noted: “We did not have garbage collection, rats everywhere, the playground grass was high and more importantly, people wasn’t getting jobs even though they well qualified,” Isaac added.Jonathan Thompson, a youth in the area, also said the community had been neglected. He said the nearby preschool needed a face-lift.
“The children cannot come out to play. Snakes and centipedes coming out because the grass so high,” he said.Another resident, Marilyn Thompson who has always been a supporter of the PNM, said the defeat was a wake-up call to the party to do better for its grassroots supporters.“I expect the new UNC government will focus on the youth and put things in place for the next generation. Faris (Al-Rawi) was not around and that was why he lost. It was a hard situation and after election morning, the place was dead, usually when PNM wins we have a lot of noise and celebration the next morning,” she said.
For the first time in history, some residents of Embacadere, once considered a strong People’s National Movement territory, have switched sides saying they have found new hope in the United National Congress.When Guardian Media visited the area, a UNC flag hung from the apartment of resident Ann Isaac, at Block P, who said she decided not to support the PNM after, what she called, years of neglect.Isaac said she could not vote because of an issue with her ID card, yet she had publicly thrown support to the UNC long before the party won.
“I faced threats and intimidation during the campaign because I decided not to vote for the PNM. Basic needs were not being met, that’s why,” she explained.She noted: “We did not have garbage collection, rats everywhere, the playground grass was high and more importantly, people wasn’t getting jobs even though they well qualified,” Isaac added.Jonathan Thompson, a youth in the area, also said the community had been neglected. He said the nearby preschool needed a face-lift.
“The children cannot come out to play. Snakes and centipedes coming out because the grass so high,” he said.Another resident, Marilyn Thompson who has always been a supporter of the PNM, said the defeat was a wake-up call to the party to do better for its grassroots supporters.“I expect the new UNC government will focus on the youth and put things in place for the next generation. Faris (Al-Rawi) was not around and that was why he lost. It was a hard situation and after election morning, the place was dead, usually when PNM wins we have a lot of noise and celebration the next morning,” she said.
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