Exit poll vindicates NACTA in T&T

Feb 01, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,

I am responding to a few letters on the NACTA polls on the UNC elections. Sabrina Jagmohan is right that there were discrepancies (Kaieteur News, January 31) in the pre-election and exit polls of NACTA surveys in Trinidad.

While the Guyanese pollster Vishnu Bisram was way off target in its pre-election survey, the exit poll, as pointed out by TV anchor Francesca Hawkins of CNC3 TV, vindicated NACTA. Thus, I applaud Mr. Vishnu Bisram for being on target in the exit poll assessment immediately after the close of voting projecting Ms. Kamla Persad Bissessar had won the UNC leadership by a landslide over incumbent Basdeo Panday.

The poll’s Saturday morning press release said “the election was too difficult to predict”. Contrary to Mr. Freddie Kissoon in his letter of January 27, the poll’s Saturday night release showed Kamla (46%) with a huge 15% overall lead over Basdeo Panday (31%) and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj (21%), the two other contenders. Vimala Alexis (Kaieteur News, January 29) gave a correct report on the poll.

Although Mr. Bisram got it right in the exit poll, the question remains why he could not predict a winner in the pre-election survey much sooner. It was not until Saturday evening that Mr. Bisram clearly said Kamla would triumph and even here the margin was way off. He should offer an explanation to maintain his credibility. At the close of voting, he correctly declared on CNC 3 TV Kamla won big.

One can appreciate the difficulties of calling a winner in the pre-election surveys because of the problem relating to loyalist UNCites. The poll said UNCites were split in their support for the three candidates, while the COPites were strong supporters for Kamla.

I disagree with NACTA that Panday led Kamla among UNCites in the pre-election survey although his last survey showed Kamla leading among both sets of voters. Kamla is popular everywhere even among PNMites. I agree with NACTA’s assessment that Kamla would win by a landslide if COPites could vote.

The Chief Election Officer, Kemchand Ramdath, allowed COPites to vote. The COP machinery worked to bring out voters for Kamla. Several COP candidates from the 2007 elections worked to bring out COP voters for Kamla. And not surprisingly, Kamla won by a landslide. This should not take away from the fact that she ran a great campaign. Congrats to Kamla and NACTA.

Indira Maharaj