SOME 50 people offered themselves for screening for the PNM in two regional corporations on Monday.
The prospected candidates, supported by their various party groups, hope to get the nod to represent the PNM in the San Juan/Laventille Corporation and the Port of Spain City Corporation.
Excited to be screened, one candidate Newsday was told, showed up at the Cascadia Hotel, St Ann’s as early as 7 am mistaking it for the 7 pm screening time for Port of Spain batch of candidates. There were a few first-time prospects Newsday was told, however, those who were screened had already left and the others were yet to show up by the time Newsday left.
Screening of nominees for San Juan/Laventille was scheduled to begin at 4 pm and end at 7 pm, however, screening began an hour later than planned.
The 50 candidates are fighting for 26 positions: 14 in the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation and 12 in the Port of Spain City Corporation.
On Tuesday, screening will continue for candidates for the Diego Martin Regional Corporation, which the Prime Minister hopes to elevate to borough status during the term of the new council.
The date for local government elections will be no later than August 18.
Former Port of Spain South MP Marlene Mc Donald was present at the screening along with current MP Keith Scotland. Scotland said, for his constituency, there were 14 candidates to be screened for three spots.
Monday's screening was expected to last well into Tuesday morning, officials said, based on the time the screening began.
Last Saturday, 19 nominees were screened for the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation. On Sunday, 40 were screened for th Tunapuna/Piarco corporation.
Next Monday, the party will screen potential councillors for San Fernando, Siparia and Point Fortin.
The following day will be dedicated to assessing candidates for Mayaro, Princes Town and Penal/Debe and next Wednesday the party will screen candidates for the Chaguanas and Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo regional corporations.
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