UNC Senator, PNM Mayor welcome south election results

UNC Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial on Wednesday said the final results for San Fernando City Corporation reflected a political change nationally in Monday's local government election, commenting to Newsday on the results of a recount in the corporation by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC).

The recount confirmed the wins of both the PNM's Teresa Lynch in Cocoyea/Tarouba and the UNC's Sasha Ali in Marabella South/Vistabella, with results for the PNM's appeal against the UNC's John Michael "Makamillion" Ali Bocas victory in Marabella West still outstanding.

Lutchmedial said, "We're very happy of course that Sasha was confirmed."

She said many people had thought Marcus Girdharrie, former councillor in Marabella South/Vistabella who defected to the PNM, would win for the PNM but he had not. "The recount didn't show any kind of irregularity and so on. Of course it is everybody's right to request a recount, especially when the margins are small.

"They did that and we did the same in Cocoyea/Tarouba. I'm not sure what's happened there. If you hear they are confirmed, then it is what it is."

Lutchmedial said, "Overall in San Fernando what I think the trend is showing is that we have made significant strides.

"We narrowed our margins in Les Efforts East and Springvale/Paradise.

"We took away the Marabella West seat (won by Ali Bocas) from the PNM which is significant as regards who is the candidate.

"We are just waiting to see that result completed this afternoon and then I'll give a full comment on that one."

Newsday asked what the results meant.

She said, "I think that the underlying message if you look at the overall voter pattern around the country is that the ground is shaking."

Lutchmedial said the UNC/NTA election accommodation had worked well.

"We have picked up votes in traditional PNM areas.

"The UNC is taking seats in Arima. We are taking seats in San Fernando that were PNM strongholds. We are taking seats in different areas. It was hotly contested."

She agreed with UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's views that the accommodation had given the PNM a good run for their money.

Lutchmedial said local elections usually have small turnouts, as she also wondered about the effect of the timing of the mid-August election date.

"In the area in which I worked, Les Efforts West/La Romain people who I know are traditional UNC supporters were out of the country.

"So we might have lower levels of voting than before.

"But I think the general message was that change is in the air, a wave is coming, and people are perhaps ready to step forward and make a change and look for better governance." She said the PNM had no track-record on which to campaign but had to revert to campaigning on a future promise of local government reform.

"Even in that we exposed them. A law has been passed for over a year and they have done absolutely nothing. This promise for reform is just more empty promises from the PNM." Lutchmedial said the UNC's message about securing TT had resounded well with voters and the party had worked very hard on the ground.

San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello, talking to Newsday, lamented Girdharrie's narrow loss at the recount.

"The recount is what it is. It is a measure to ensure there is no discrepancies and there is accountability in terms of numbers."

He noted the narrowness of Girdharrie's loss, by just 11 votes. "That is hard. Anybody who loses an election by 11 votes will want to ensure there were no errors, mistakes or discrepancies." He said a recount was a requirement in an election whose result can affect one's career.

Reflecting on the outcome of the election nationwide, he said it seems PNM voters pay less attention to local elections than general elections but UNC voters "take every election as an election."

He said he had no doubt Teresa Lynch would win her recount.

"She worked very, very hard. She had won by a minute number the last time around but continued to work hard.

"I was surprised about councillor Marcus Girdharrie. The fact that he won under the UNC by 125 votes in 2019 and then to come back as a PNM and lose by 11 votes, that speaks volumes about his personality and his character as a politician.

"That is no easy feat: You won by 125 votes three years ago under one ticket and you come back on the opposing side and almost go to the tape ahead of your opponent.

"He has a good future in the PNM."