Cudjoe: Campaigning during covid19 was difficult

Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe says campaigning during the covid19 pandemic was difficult.

Speaking to Newsday after voting at the Montgomery Government Primary School, Cudjoe said she was pleased with the sanitation protocols for voters.

But she said campaigning during the pandemic did not allow campaigners to interact with the people in the usual way.

“We are accustomed to spot meetings, and getting people out in their numbers,” she said.“When you go to people’s homes, you get to talk to the older folks who really have a lot of influence.

"We are unable to talk to people in the way we are accustomed to. But we have to live with covid at this moment. So we had to develop new ways to get out to the people.”Cudjoe, who is the Minister of Sport and Community Development, said the PNM’s youth league was instrumental in bringing out the young people.

She said the new candidates also found innovative ways of connecting with people during the campaign.

Cudjoe said the PNM ran the best campaign it could have.

“We came out, discussed the issues. We are not perfect, but we have delivered in Tobago, and we want to continue the work we have started and to build a bigger, brighter, better Tobago for all of us.”

Pastor Terrence Baynes, who was contesting the Bethel/Mt Irvine seat on a Progressive Democratic Patriots ticket, said he was hoping for the best.

“It is an election and you hope that everything will be well throughout the day and the machinery that you have in place, we hope that it works well. Those are basic concerns,” he said after voting at the Buccoo Government Primary School around 8.30am.

Baynes said he had not heard of any complaints of irregularities.

But he compared the voter turnout in the August 10 general election to the THA election, saying the turnout appeared greater in the former.

“Around this time (8.30am) in the general election, perhaps the traffic was a little more.”