NDP trying to persecute young people – Shavez

While election officials have chosen to stay silent, one individual has come forward in response to allegations of corruption levelled against him by Opposition parliamentarians.

On Tuesday this week, Shavez Trimmingham levelled accusations of his own against a high-ranking official of the New Democratic {{more}}Party, whom he claimed tricked him into casting his vote in favour of St Clair Leacock, Parliamentary Representative of Central Kingstown, in the previous General Elections.

The young man explained to SEARCHLIGHT that he has been residing at Murray’s Village in the East Kingstown constituency for the past 20 years, but was tricked into transferring so he could vote in Central Kingstown. He had now transferred back to vote in East Kingstown, where he will throw his support behind Unity Labour Party hopeful, Luke Browne.

Trimmingham said that the senior NDP official “played on my ignorance of the boundaries, and got me to wrongfully register in Central Kingstown to vote for Leacock in the 2012 general elections.”

“These people have no shame.

“All I have done now is correct the wrong that (the senior official) made me do and register in East Kingstown, where I truly belong.”

A look at the polling divisions of the constituency of East Kingstown, issued by the Electoral Office, showed that all of the Murray’s Village Polling Divisions (Polling Division D, E, and F) were indeed in the East Kingstown constituency.

Trimmingham said that he developed a friendship with Browne, and works for him as a driver, among other tasks, and has therefore decided to throw his support behind the young political candidate, who will try again to wrest the seat from the NDP leader Arnhim Eustace.

On Monday this week, in separate programmes on radio, Eustace and Leacock identified persons who they claimed had transferred across boundaries under doubtful circumstances.

Leacock identified Trimmingham as one such person, and threatened legal action against him.

Eustace listed six persons whom he said also transferred under suspicious circumstances, and indicated that he, too, was considering taking legal action against the individuals, as well as the registering officer for East Kingstown.

When SEARCHLILGHT contacted the Electoral Office, deputy supervisor of elections Sylvester King said that the office had received correspondence from the Leader of the Opposition on Wednesday afternoon, but could not comment on Eustace’s statements.

King, however, stated that whenever a complaint is filed, the Electoral Office would examine the grievance, following the necessary procedures.

SEARCHLIGHT also spoke to Cecile Cambridge, the registering officer for East Kingstown. She said she had not heard Eustace’s comments, and was not in a position to make any comments.

Trimmingham declared that his “greatest sin” where the Opposition parliamentarians were concerned, was transferring to the rightful constituency, and pledging his allegiance to Browne and the ULP.

“Nothing can make me change my mind, and [that of] all of the other young people like myself that the NDP is trying to persecute for their right to vote,” he added.