T&T – Election Results, Status Quo With 7-7 Tie Between PNM and UNC

On Monday night minutes after 10 pm, the Prime Minister for the PNM and Kamla Persad-Bissessar for the UNC, both declared victory in the local government elections. The election results show that the PNM won seven councils – Port of Spain, San Fernando, Arima, Point Fortin, Diego Martin, San Juan/ Laventille and Tunapuna/Piarco, while the UNC won retained its seven –Chaguanas, Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Siparia and Sangre Grande.

Other smaller parties – the NTA (allied to the UNC), PEP, MSJ and PDP – failed to win any seats. Rowley declared, “You have changed nothing,” in his speech at Balisier house as the results came in. “We went in with seven and came out with seven. We lost a seat in San Fernando, by a few votes.”

He says the nation has serious work to do, but “they are very, very happy”. Earlier in the day, PM Rowley said regardless of the result of the local elections results, the government will still press on with local government reform. He made the statement after voting at the International School of Port of Spain in Westmoorings.

“We are the government of Trinidad and Tobago and our responsibility is not going to fade. We will still be active and we will continue to keep our commitment to the people of TT,” Dr Rowley said while speaking to media outside the school.

“This is not about the government being elected. The government is in office and will remain there until the next election is called, and we will work until the very last day. We will continue to contribute so the country could keep moving upward and forward.”

He said local government reform will give citizens more say in governance and will better connect the people with the government. Meanwhile Persad-Bissessar said, “We’ll work harder to bring home the next election, whenever it is called, because we have a vision for the country.” She mentioned that the “PNM lost votes in almost all seats” and that the party would would have “gained the popular vote”.

Approximately 30-35 percent of citizens turned out to vote in these local elections.