Kimberly votes at 6 am

KIMBERLY Small, People's National Movement (PNM) candidate in yesterday's local government by-election for Barataria voted as soon as Solo Harmonites Panyard, Morvant Junction polling stations were open at 6 am. In a brief interview on the verandah of her Fifth Avenue campaign office, she said "I was fifteenth to vote at that polling station," indicating that other electors had also turned out early.

"It has gone very smoothly at my polling station. At Barataria South Secondary School there are several polling stations. I spoke to the presiding officer there and to our polling agents and it is all going quite smoothly. You are seeing a steady flow of voters."

Small told Newsday, "I'm quite confident. I've been driving around with the window open and a lot of people are saying 'We voted, we have done our duty.'"

Small said she sensed a lot of support for herself on the ground.

"People are telling me, 'I voted, and after tonight the work will start'," she said of her chances of becoming the area's new councillor on San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation.

"So far, so good. We are doing what we have to do."

Speaking at about 10.20 am, she said things had slowed down at polling stations, but that from 3 pm she expected to see a fresh flow of people returning home from work and coming to vote.

Small then went inside to check her campaign staff. Former San Juan/Barataria MP Joseph Ross also at the campaign office told Newsday everything was going as normal. "It is flowing. It is going smoothly. I see no major conflict this morning. All the reports I have received, it is going smoothly."