NACTA sees close fight in Sando, Sangre Grande corporations

The PNM and UNC are locked in a close battle to win control of the San Fernando City and Sangre Grande Regional Corporations in the August 14 local government elections.

This was the findings of a North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) poll which was released on Thursday.

In a statement, NACTA said its poll showed there are close contests in several of the 141 districts up for grabs in the elections.

The poll also finds a very close contest for control of the San Fernando and Sangre Grande corporations.

NACTA said, "Either major party could win them."

In the case of San Fernando, currently held by the PNM, NACTA said the PNM has a strong lead in four seats but a smaller lead in one seat. The UNC has strong leads in two seats and a smaller lead in one seat. One seat is a toss up.

Minor parties are also getting support. Three seats are within the poll’s margin of error of five per cent, suggesting they could go either way.

In Sangre Grande, now controlled by the UNC, NACTA said, "The UNC has a strong lead in three seats and a smaller lead in one seat. The PNM has strong lead in two seats with two seats being toss ups that could go either way."

NACTA added, "Altogether, three seats are within the poll’s margin of error of five per cent (suggesting they could go either way."

In the case of Sangre Grande, NACTA continued, the UNC has anti-incumbency working against it.

The poll shows the voting trend of respondents of voters nationally to be anti-incumbency everywhere against the party that controls a local government corporation.

The PNM and UNC each control seven of the 14 local government corporations in Trinidad.

NACTA said, "Anti-incumbency is higher for the party at central government, but the UNC opposition has not been successful in exploiting widespread disgruntlement against the ruling PNM."

The poll, NACTA continued, found most voters are unhappy with the local government candidates chosen by the UNC and that unhappiness extends to the party's MPs and senators.

UNC MPs Dinesh Rambally, Anita Haynes and Rushton Paray were identified by the poll as amongst the opposition parliamentarians not disliked by voters.

The poll also found that the UNC's alliance with Gary Griffith's National Transformation Alliance (NTA) and the return of its former chairman Jack Warner has energised traditional UNC supporters.

NACTA observed, "A similar enthusiasm has not been displayed by the traditional supporters of the PNM."

Continuing dissatisfaction with the PNM and the UNC, NACTA continued, could " result in voters gravitating towards the minor parties which are pulling impressive support."

NACTA added the majority of voters in the elections appear to be " casting ballots along traditional (racial) lines especially in strongholds, but there are significant split voting trends affecting both major parties benefiting the minor parties."