MARCELLE TO REPLACE ‘COAL POT’ SCOTLAND

KEITH Scotland, who two years ago said people should fight hardship by going back to coal pots, will not be the People’s National Movement’s (PNM) next general election candidate for Port of Spain South.

The ruling party is replacing incumbent Scotland with 29-year-old attorney Kareem Marcelle, who was recently appointed an alderman in the Port of Spain City Corporation.

Scotland has remained a low-keyed representative throughout his term so far, and occupies the parliamentary backbenches.

He rarely speaks in debates in the House of Representatives.

In one of his few offerings, he urged that people respond to economic difficulties by using coal pots and other cost-saving measures.

Scotland, an attorney, said he will ride to court.

“I will take a bike in order to save fuel; that is my solution,” he said during the debate on the 2023 Budget.

His comments were greeted by an avalanche of social media criticisms.

The MP later apologised, stating that “it was not my intention to belittle or demean anyone, especially the people of Port of Spain South.”

But he has become politically defined by the issue.

Marcelle, who lives in Beetham Estate in the constituency, studied law after receiving a scholarship in 2017.

He previously spoke of being “an agent of change” to assist his community.

“When there are so many socio-economic issues in this community and the country, I need the resources to be able to help them,” he said.

He said he had “a rocky start, in terms of growing up in poverty.”

Apart from 1986 to 1991, when the National Alliance for Reconstruction’s (NAR) Theodore Guerra was MP, Port of Spain South has always elected a PNM representative.

First Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams represented the constituency from 1956 to 1981.

Scotland’s immediate predecessor was Marlene McDonald, who was elected in 2007 and 2010.

McDonald died last December.

Marcelle is son of PNM activist Sherma Wilson.