Election cliffhanger

- Photo courtesy Pixabay
- Photo courtesy Pixabay

IT WENT down to the wire, but the result was clear enough.

Facing unprecedented challenges and uncertainties, the population chose not to rock the boat. With choppy waters ahead, it gave the Prime Minister a mandate to return, to stay the course.

The long lines pictured early on Monday showed many effectively endorsed what Abraham Lincoln once said: “The best way to predict your future is to choose it.”

And choose they did. Even first-time voters were out in their numbers.

But while much of the PNM basks in victory, it cannot be ignored that a substantial proportion of the voting public also opted for the opposition UNC.

That speaks to a degree of disenchantment that the PNM would be foolish to ignore.

Such disenchantment is undoubtedly a reflection of pre-2020 and even worse current economic realities, the PNM’s record in office, and the challenges of the ongoing covid19 pandemic.

Even before the election we could expect legal challenges, requests for recounts, as well as close scrutiny of the way the Elections and Boundaries Commission signs off on confirmed results. The lack of international observers is a matter of deep regret.

Already, many voiced complaints on Monday about long lines and a slow process. Given how long the EBC has had to prepare, its beefed-up budgetary allocation, as well as the constant calls throughout this pandemic for transparency on its state of readiness, such complaints are disappointing.

But also facing questions will be Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whose future as leader of the UNC is a matter for her party. If the confirmed results show the UNC gained momentum, as was the case in the local government poll, Mrs Persad-Bissessar may find cause for consolation.

Yet still, a defeat is a defeat, and the second general-election loss in a row. Even before Monday, speculation over a possible successor arose when one dropped UNC MP endorsed another UNC politician to lead the party.

Whatever unfolds in the Opposition, things cannot continue as normal.

This election campaign, though relatively short, saw a disappointingly high level of vitriol, much of it inspired by race and various forms of bigotry.

Dr Rowley cannot afford to maintain such a tone if he is to lead this country effectively through the many uncertainties ahead.

Indeed, no matter who won on Monday, it was always clear that whoever sat in Whitehall needed to find a way to unite the country in order to tackle the public health crisis, the economy, and crime.

Both the PNM and the UNC would also do well to advance progress on key matters such as the place of women in government, adapting to climate change and the never-ending onslaught of natural disasters that increasingly threaten us.

The election is over. Now let’s unite.

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