PDP's Watson Duke concedes defeat in Tobago East

Watson Duke, Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) Tobago East candidate in Monday’s general election, has conceded defeat.

On Tuesday, he called for a recount, having lost to the People’s National Movement’s (PNM) Ayanna Webster-Roy.

Sources said the recount started at 3pm at the John Dial multi-purpose facility, but Newsday understands that while the recount was going on, Duke became impatient and eventually conceded. The recount was stopped as the request for it was withdrawn.

Unofficial figures indicate Duke lost by some 844 votes. A preliminary count from the Elections and Boundaries Commission showed that Webster-Roy got 6,573 votes and Duke 5,729.

Neither Duke nor the PDP’s deputy political leader Farley Augustine could be reached for comment, as all calls to their cellphones went unanswered.