Tim Goopeesingh
4-way race for Caroni East
Tim, Meighoo, chef Peru, constituency chairman vie for seat
Political scientist Dr Kirk Meighoo, well-known chef Jason Peru and UNC Caroni East chairman Dr Rishad Seecheran are among nominees for Caroni East constituency which incumbent MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh is also seeking to contest again.
Meighoo is also seeking nomination for Chaguanas East.
The names are among UNC’s 350-plus general election nominees.
Screening for various areas continued last week up to yesterday.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar may announce certain names at UNC’s forum in Pointe-a-Pierre tomorrow, UNC officials projected.
They said the party received a “significant number” of nominees for incumbents’ seats and an average of a handful of nominees for each PNM-held area.
Gopeesingh filed nomination before the process closed recently, remaining mum on the “competition.”
Ex-DNA leader Meighoo going with Kamla
It’s Meighoo’s second electoral foray with UNC.
In 2007, he contested Chaguanas East with Basdeo Panday UNC/Alliance losing to PNM’s Mustapha Abdul Hamid. Meighoo, who headed the DNA party in 2006 with Anthony Pinto, left DNA in 2018.
He publicly declared support for UNC during the 2019 Budget debate when UNC’s alternative economic plan was announced.
“The political leader remembers planting rice, minding cows, planting teak, clearing land, selling bhagi in the market.
That’s heritage to build on, not to run away from or be embarrassed about,” he says.
He believes his Facebook campaign for UNC for Local Government Elections “had significant positive impact on the elections, particularly among undecideds.”
Meighoo, who has assisted the MP’s office with research, decided to seek a seat “in case UNC’s leader thinks I can be of value as a candidate and MP.
Whatever role they wish to use my services and skills is fine.
The goal is to turn T&T around, and UNC’s the only party that can do so.”
Knocking PNM’s management and effects on T&T ahead, he added: “I can offer my unique combination of skills and experience to constituents and to the party which, frankly, no one else can. I’ll seek to improve constituents’ lives and provide excellent representation in Government.
“ Meighoo, who lives Central, said: “There are MPs in the Caroni and Chaguanas seats doing excellent work. It’s up to the leadership if they want me, and where they want me. It may not even be there. UN C activists approached me last Wednesday to fight the St Joseph seat. I didn’t consider that, but I have many connections to St Joseph. Wherever UNC wants me, I’m fine as long as we achieve victory. But I’m also prepared to serve in Opposition.”
Meighoo also does a podcast interviewing global experts.
Subjects included Erica Williams-Connell. “I built this network to link Trinidadian political and economic development to wider global developments,” he said, adding that he’s assisting republication of late prime minister Dr Eric Williams’ Forged From the Love of Liberty.
He hosted another podcast interviewing global political thinkers and done political consultancy, including on the no-confidence motion in Guyana.
Chairman vs his MP
Chaguanas dentist Dr Rishad Seecheran said he was urged by the Caroni East executive to seek nomination for Caroni East.
“I didn’t know if the MP was seeking nomination, but I informed him I would be and he was quite cordial. I don’t see it as a problem. The party leader will pick who she believes is suitable. Members have been told UNC would have a mixture of old and new faces for our next government.”
Seecheran’ has been a practising dentist for the last 15 years, hailing from a family of doctors.
He has worked all over T&T providing free health services offered by UNC over the last five years.
He has chaired Caroni East executive for three years. “We have one aim—to contribute to restoring good governance to T&T during UNC’s next term in government.
“My goals for Caroni East is to address annual flooding issues.
That’s top priority. During PNM’s term, little to no work was done in cleaning watercourses and reinforcing Caroni riverbank.
“I’d also like to address crime that seems rampant and to tackle unemployment in Caroni East. I’d also like to expand on my Executive’s Recycling Programme, already implemented in three primary schools. We donated recycling bins to these schools and instructed students on waste recycling. Proper habits must be instilled in the young and they, in turn, would be able to teach their parents.
This would reduce the number of waste clogging watercourses and consequently reduce flash flooding.”
Seecheran, who lives at Lange Park, had seen enough of the political work to know that being an MP is a long hard job, but he’s prepared. And is he if UNC remains in opposition? “That’s not on my mind. We’re definitely going to win this election, there’s no doubt.”
Meighoo is also seeking nomination for Chaguanas East.
The names are among UNC’s 350-plus general election nominees.
Screening for various areas continued last week up to yesterday.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar may announce certain names at UNC’s forum in Pointe-a-Pierre tomorrow, UNC officials projected.
They said the party received a “significant number” of nominees for incumbents’ seats and an average of a handful of nominees for each PNM-held area.
Gopeesingh filed nomination before the process closed recently, remaining mum on the “competition.”
Ex-DNA leader Meighoo going with Kamla
It’s Meighoo’s second electoral foray with UNC.
In 2007, he contested Chaguanas East with Basdeo Panday UNC/Alliance losing to PNM’s Mustapha Abdul Hamid. Meighoo, who headed the DNA party in 2006 with Anthony Pinto, left DNA in 2018.
He publicly declared support for UNC during the 2019 Budget debate when UNC’s alternative economic plan was announced.
“The political leader remembers planting rice, minding cows, planting teak, clearing land, selling bhagi in the market.
That’s heritage to build on, not to run away from or be embarrassed about,” he says.
He believes his Facebook campaign for UNC for Local Government Elections “had significant positive impact on the elections, particularly among undecideds.”
Meighoo, who has assisted the MP’s office with research, decided to seek a seat “in case UNC’s leader thinks I can be of value as a candidate and MP.
Whatever role they wish to use my services and skills is fine.
The goal is to turn T&T around, and UNC’s the only party that can do so.”
Knocking PNM’s management and effects on T&T ahead, he added: “I can offer my unique combination of skills and experience to constituents and to the party which, frankly, no one else can. I’ll seek to improve constituents’ lives and provide excellent representation in Government.
“ Meighoo, who lives Central, said: “There are MPs in the Caroni and Chaguanas seats doing excellent work. It’s up to the leadership if they want me, and where they want me. It may not even be there. UN C activists approached me last Wednesday to fight the St Joseph seat. I didn’t consider that, but I have many connections to St Joseph. Wherever UNC wants me, I’m fine as long as we achieve victory. But I’m also prepared to serve in Opposition.”
Meighoo also does a podcast interviewing global experts.
Subjects included Erica Williams-Connell. “I built this network to link Trinidadian political and economic development to wider global developments,” he said, adding that he’s assisting republication of late prime minister Dr Eric Williams’ Forged From the Love of Liberty.
He hosted another podcast interviewing global political thinkers and done political consultancy, including on the no-confidence motion in Guyana.
Chairman vs his MP
Chaguanas dentist Dr Rishad Seecheran said he was urged by the Caroni East executive to seek nomination for Caroni East.
“I didn’t know if the MP was seeking nomination, but I informed him I would be and he was quite cordial. I don’t see it as a problem. The party leader will pick who she believes is suitable. Members have been told UNC would have a mixture of old and new faces for our next government.”
Seecheran’ has been a practising dentist for the last 15 years, hailing from a family of doctors.
He has worked all over T&T providing free health services offered by UNC over the last five years.
He has chaired Caroni East executive for three years. “We have one aim—to contribute to restoring good governance to T&T during UNC’s next term in government.
“My goals for Caroni East is to address annual flooding issues.
That’s top priority. During PNM’s term, little to no work was done in cleaning watercourses and reinforcing Caroni riverbank.
“I’d also like to address crime that seems rampant and to tackle unemployment in Caroni East. I’d also like to expand on my Executive’s Recycling Programme, already implemented in three primary schools. We donated recycling bins to these schools and instructed students on waste recycling. Proper habits must be instilled in the young and they, in turn, would be able to teach their parents.
This would reduce the number of waste clogging watercourses and consequently reduce flash flooding.”
Seecheran, who lives at Lange Park, had seen enough of the political work to know that being an MP is a long hard job, but he’s prepared. And is he if UNC remains in opposition? “That’s not on my mind. We’re definitely going to win this election, there’s no doubt.”