Elderly Sangre Grande resident Bernice Diaz is denying claims by Prime Minister Stuart Young, that she was intimidated by UNC supporters.

At a PNM rally in Sangre Grande on April 24, Young showed a video of the 78-year-old grandmother surrounded by UNC supporters.

Diaz is seen in the video wearing a red jersey as a UNC supporter asks someone for a UNC jersey to give to her.

The woman gets the jersey and then pulls it over Diaz's head and helps her to put it on.

Young claimed it was an example of the UNC intimidating elderly people into supporting them.

However, speaking with Newsday on April 25 at her Damarie Hill home, Diaz said the incident was "No big deal...

"I had on a red jersey and they saw me.

"They know me, and they come and talk to me. And somewhere along the line, they said that they want to put on a UNC jersey on me, and they just pull it on."

Diaz said she was in some pain because of her ailments, but apart from that, she had no issue with what the UNC supporters did.

"It was no big thing," said Diaz

"I look at this as a prank. It's nothing serious."

She said she never felt intimidated as she knew the people who helped her put on the jersey.

Diaz said earlier on April 25 she even spoke with the woman who helped her put it on and was waiting for her to visit.

Diaz said she grew up in a "PNM home" but was politically neutral.

"I came from a staunch PNM home, so everybody knows me as a PNM.

"But I was never involved in the party. I not involved in none (of the parties).

"When it's time to vote, I does go and vote. When elections come, I just go and do my civic duty, and that's it."

Diaz said she knows the PNM candidate Roger Monroe, though, as he grew up in the area and was friendly with her five children.

She said her family had had a few laughs at her expense since the controversy began.

She chuckled and added, "I hear they saying Bernice and Bernice and Bernice. I say, 'Lord what I get myself into in my old days.'

"But me ain't taking on that, because I know I ent do nothing wrong."

She said she was unsure why Young decided to use her as an example of voter intimidation.

"I said, 'But why is Stuart Young calling up my name for?'

"He don't know me, I don't know him and I ain't do not nothing."

Diaz believed both sides, though, were using the situation as an election gimmick.

"You know they're looking for votes.

"Both of them is the same damn thing.

"UNC and PNM forever fighting, I don't know why."

Diaz said she remained unsure about who would get her vote on April 28.

"I ain't against nobody.

"I just listen to the two (parties). I listen to them, what they have to say, and I done with that."

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