NACTA poll: Clean sweep for Team Rowley

File photo: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on the campaign for the PNM internal election.
File photo: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on the campaign for the PNM internal election.

PEOPLE’S National Movement (PNM) political leader Dr Keith Rowley’s RED – (Real, Experienced, Dependable) slate is on course for a clean sweep of all the posts up for grabs in the party’s internal elections on Sunday.

Among the most likeable candidates is Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte who is running for vice-chairman. Le Hunte has strong support in all constituencies. Other favourites are government senator Avinash Singh and Ndale Young who are contesting the posts of social media officer and youth officer respectively.

These are some of the findings of a North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) poll that was released today. Dr Rowley, who is also Prime Minister, is unchallenged for the post of political leader.

The poll shows a majority of the party’s base is with Rowley. A large majority of the respondents said they welcome the competition for the contested positions. They said political competition is healthy for democracy. But they feel the political leader should not have led a slate into the election especially that he, himself, was unopposed.

Rowley said he would have preferred not to lead a slate of candidates. But as political leader he wants a united team supportive of his plan and programme going into the 2019 local elections and the 2020 general elections

There is no official slate of challengers of “Team RED”, but several individuals who were allied (loyal) to the late political leader and former Prime Minister Patrick Manning and a handful of independents are on the ballot for varied positions.

The RED opponents have more support in Central and South and in their home constituency than in the North. RED is very strong in Port of Spain, Diego Martin, and the East-West Corridor.

All of the RED candidates are doing well in their home constituency. Some RED candidates are not well liked but Rowley’s likeability should see them through.

The poll finds that not many PNM supporters have expressed an interest in voting. Only PNM members can vote in the election. The party says there are 87,000 members. Turnout is projected to be very low especially that Rowley is not on the ballot.

The poll finds that there will not be voting for only one slate of candidates. There will be a lot of “split thicket” voting as members stated they will “pick and choose” voting for candidates from RED and others going up against them.

Whoever brings out the voters will have an advantage. RED candidates are not taking any chances as they were seen being very active on the ground wooing voters and organising the machinery to bring out their supporters. Voters say they see no upsets in the making, but one cannot discount the possibility of a victory by any candidate who is not from the RED slate.

The poll conducted by Dr Vishnu Bisram, interviewed respondents at random. The respondents included PNM members, supporters of all parties as well as independent minded voters.

Comments

"NACTA poll: Clean sweep for Team Rowley"

More in this section