Guyanese wins special election in New York

Nov 05, 2015 News

NEW YORK, Nov 4, CMC – A Guyanese-born legislator has won a special election to fill a Brooklyn seat left vacant after Guyanese-American New York State Senator John L. Sampson was convicted in July of lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in a US federal corruption case.

A winner again: Guyanese-born, Roxanne Persaud

Sampson, the son of a Guyanese father, was forced to relinquish the 19thsenatorial district seat in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn.
Roxanne Jacqueline Persaud, who was elected to the New York State Assembly in November 2014, as representative for the 59th Assembly District, defeated her two challengers in Tuesday’s elections for the 19thSenatorial District.
Persaud, 49, polled 6,980 votes, or 88 per cent of the votes cast, while Jeffrey Ferretti, the Republic Party challenger, received 702 votes, or nine per cent; and Conservative Party opponent Elias Weir got 245 votes, or three per cent.
“Great! Great!” she told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) late Tuesday night.
“Fabulous! I’m happy all the waiting is over, so I can get to do the work,” added Persaud amid victory celebrations at the Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club in Canarsie that had endorsed her.
“It shows hard work pays off,” said Persaud, who had migrated from Guyana with her parents and siblings, when she was 19 years old.
She said she had no qualms running for Sampson’s old seat.
“I’m not happy with what’s happening, but you have to do what you have to do. When an opportunity presents itself, you follow, and you do it.
“I know I can continue my work. As senator, I will work to bring all the communities together and to make sure they have equal representation.”
Persaud, who was the first female to represent the 59th Assembly District, said she is a “longtime advocate for her community and an avid volunteer.”
She said her dedication to serving her community motivated her to serve in various capacities. She was President of the 69th Precinct Community Council in Canarsie, member of Community Board 18 and Commissioner on the New York City Districting Commission.
Persaud added that she is a graduate of the New York Police Department (NYPD) Citizens Police Academy, as well as the New York City Office of Emergency Management-Community Emergency Response Team.