Rufus Bousquet may contest next general elections

Former United Workers Party (UWP) minister, Rufus Bousquet, has submitted his name to contest in a run-off to become the party’s next candidate for the Choiseul/Saltibus Constituency.

Bousquet, a former Member of Parliament (MP) for that same constituency said if he is not selected as the UWP candidate, he may consider contesting the seat as an independent candidate.

“My words were that I am very interested and I anticipate words to that effect. Certainly it is something on my radar,” the former Foreign Affairs Minister told on Tuesday.

However, Bousquet said from information he has received, the whole process to organize a run-off has been bypassed, because there have been rumours that someone has already been selected.

“The political leader (Allen Chastanet) has already indicated who his candidate is, although he has not made a public pronouncement. The reality on the ground is that everybody knows who the individual is.”

While he did not disclose the name of the individual, Bousquet said the person has already declared himself as the candidate throughout the constituency.

Bousquet was elected as chairman of the UWP Choiseul/Saltibus Constituency branch on August 23, 2015. He secured 30 votes unopposed and has remained as chairman ever since then.

He boasted that his re-election was a matter of confidence or an indication of the confidence the people have in him, in handling the affairs of the Choiseul /Saltibus Constituency branch.

In an earlier interview Bousquet said he has no intention of not working with party leader Allen Chastanet and is ready to serve the people of his constituency.

But the former UWP minister has been critical of Chastanet and has repeatedly criticized his leadership style.

The UWP has declared its intention to confirm four more candidates on Sunday.