NTA, PEP hopeful for positive outcome in local election

National Alliance for Transformation (NTA) political leader Gary Griffith said he received a positive and powerful response during the party’s motorcade on the East-West Corridor on Saturday.

Speaking to Newsday on Saturday, Griffith said the motorcade began at 8 am in Diego Martin and ended at 6 pm at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima.

“It was a 10-hour motorcade along the whole East-West corridor, I think it’s the first time there’s ever been a political motorcade like that. Five of the six corporations the NTA is contesting are in the East-West corridor, Diego Martin, Port of Spain, San Juan/Laventille, Tunapuna/Piarco, and Arima. I think we had over 200 cars, probably one of the largest motorcades ever in political history in this country.

“It ended at 6 pm. Unfortunately I was supposed to speak at the UNC meeting at 4 pm but I would not have been able to leave my motorcade and it was too late by the time it ended. I sent my apologies that I wouldn’t be able to leave, it was our final major event prior to the election on Monday.”

Griffith said while there was a positive response to the motorcade, he would wait to see if this translated to the polls.

“If thumbs-ups, hugs, and handshakes transferred into votes, the PNM would lose their deposit. Unfortunately politics is not like that, so as much as you would see 90 per cent of people on the streets, in vehicles, in bars, in stores, on their verandahs were giving thumbs up, it was powerful.”

He said he had been in elections with the COP and PP in 2007 and 2010 respectively, and the support he saw in the corridor was unbelievable.

“Whether that translates into votes, we shall see on Monday night. I want to say the people were friendly, unlike some of the comments by politicians on the campaign trail. I walked the length and breadth of the country, and everywhere I went, not once was I shown any degree of disrespect.”

Progressive Empowerment Party political leader Phillip Alexander, during an interview on TV6, said the element of competition in the local government election would only redound to the benefit of TT.

“If we win against the PNM and the UNC, they will suddenly be motivated to compete with us and now other districts will start to get service, not just with promises at election, but with a two-year lead time to see who is better at representing people, and Trinidad will win.”

Alexander said the party would be working in communities regardless of the outcome of the election.

“We will fix it. We will come into your communities after the election, this is our promise, and we’ve made it to all of the communities, we’ll meet with you again, we’ll ask you to make a list for us of the top 25 things you think need addressing. A top ten hit list will be created for each district and the PEP will seek assistance where necessary to get it done. Where funding isn’t available, we will raise the funds. We’re going in there expecting politics to affect our ability to get funding but if needed we will pass the hat in the business community.”