COP candidate blames PNMites for attack
Darryl Heeralal dheeralal@trinidadexpress.com
Trinidad Express
Friday, November 2nd 2007 PNM WORRIED: Congress of the People candidate for Laventille West David St Clair at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex yesterday.
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BEATEN Congress of the People Laventille West candidate David St Clair is sure he was attacked by People's National Movement supporters while at his constituency office last Saturday.
St Clair, the COP choice for the seat, was hospitalised after he was beaten by three men at his office at Pashley Street, Port of Spain.
He spoke to the Express yesterday from his hospital bed, two days after regaining consciousness.
"I think the PNM in Laventille is worried about my presence. It is politically motivated and I believe the men are affiliated to the PNM," St Clair said.
His left cheek was fractured and St Clair has clotted blood in his head.
He said doctors could not operate on the cheek until the clots dissolve.
"I will not put my head on a block to say the PNM organise the attack, but I would say they are responsible," St Clair said.
"I have been moving through Laventille, Beetham and places like St Barb's by myself, without police and security."
Asked why the PNM and not the UNC Alliance, St Clair said he and Juliet Davy were friends.
"Besides the UNC A has nothing to gain by that, Laventille is not one of their strongholds."
St Clair added: "It was PNM supporters definitely. They are the ones with the most to lose. They are fighting for survival."
St Clair said he has already given a statement to police and also told officers of a threat two weeks before the attack by a man calling himself "Saddam" to extort money from him for protection.
St Clair said he hopes to be at COP's rally tomorrow.