Jack: PNM lucky to have Romain

Less than 24 hours after being chosen by the People’s National Movement (PNM) as the candidate for the Malabar/Mausica constituency (formerly D’Abadie/O’Meara), eyebrows were raised over Dominic Romain’s political past.

Romain was the former chairman of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP), which was formed by Jack Warner, and he was also the ILP’s D’Abadie/O’Meara candidate in the 2015 general election, where he went up against the late Lisa Morris-Julian. That constituency has now been renamed Malabar/Mausica by the Elections and Boundaries Commission.

On Monday, the PNM chose him to be Morris-Julian’s replacement.

Clearing the air yesterday, Romain told Guardian Media, “It was never a secret. Anyone who has seen my podcast knows that I would have made mention of that.

“I’ve been a card-holding member of the PNM since 2007. In 2013, I would have become involved with the ILP, and I was with them for about three years. But, of course, the ILP no longer exists. It has been dissolved by the political leader, who himself has gone back to the UNC.

“Several persons would have left various political parties to join the ILP. They have gone back to their respective parties subsequent to the dissolution of the ILP.”

Also coming to Romain’s defence yesterday, Warner told Guardian Media the PNM is lucky to have Romain as a candidate.

Warner said, “I think that it is a wise choice. I think that he has contributed greatly to the area, and more in particular, he has been a great organiser. He’s a good spokesman, and if I may add, I think the PNM is lucky to have him on their side.

“He is a great worker. He can contribute to any ministry, whether it’s the Ministry of National Security or the Ministry of Finance. I wish him luck, and I hope that if he does win, he will continue to work tirelessly for his constituents as he used to work with me in the party.”

During his tenure with the ILP, Romain addressed issues of crime and national security. In 2016, he said the ILP believed the issues of crime, national security and public safety were serious matters that should not be made the subject of political games and semantics but that workable solutions should be found for these national problems.

He is a financial adviser with Guardian Group and an executive member of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (TTAIFA).

Warner said Romain should not be criticised for switching political parties, as it was common among politicians.

He added, “At one time I was ILP’s political leader. Today, I am supporting UNC. It happens. At one time, Gypsy was a member of the UNC, and then he went up as a member of the PNM in Moruga/Tableland. These things happen, and when they happen, you take them in stride.”

Asked why he did not encourage Romain to be screened for the UNC instead, Warner replied, “I never tell them where to go. They go where their hearts tell them.”

Although now on opposite sides, Warner said there was no animosity between him and Romain.

Guardian Media was also reliably informed by some PNM party members that Romain has the support of the constituency.