Election in Trinidad and Tobago Close

Apr 26, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

With just a couple days to go before voting on Monday, the general election in Trinidad and Tobago has no clear projected winner. It is going down to the wire according to reports.

There are closely fought seats in Trinidad with neither major party, PNM or UNC, having an unassailable lead in battleground or marginal seats. There is also a closely fought seat in Tobago. Several seats are toss ups that can go either way, and there could also be a couple of surprises. This makes it difficult to project a winner (in these swing seats and winning a minimum of 21 of the 41 sets to form government).

There is a half dozen other parties contesting the election including one led by Basdeo Panday’s daughter, Mickela and another party led by former Home Affairs Minister and Police Commissioner Gary Griffith. None of the small parties, except those partnered with UNC, meaning all of their candidates, with will lose their deposits of $5000 TT; a candidate must win 12.5% votes to retain deposit. Trinidad and Tobago, unlike Guyana, has the first past the post system. Guyana has a PR system with no deposit to contest a seat. As partisan voters’ comment, voting for the small parties is turning out to be a waste of one’s vote. Supporters of small parties view it as a way to register one’s disenchantment with the two major parties. The support for the small parties could impact the outcome in a few swing seats.

The main issues are the economy and crime with respondents generally favoring the UNC over PNM to handle both.

In terms of leadership rating, veteran UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is now at her best since 2015 in terms of acceptance, favorability or likability, popularity, and for Prime Minister, a dramatic turnaround from recent years. Several former MPs, once critical of her leadership, have returned to campaigning for party candidates in marginals. Kamla’s opponent Stuart Young has also galvanized his party critics to campaign for candidates in marginal seats. Voters say the newly minted PNM leader has been charming voters and audiences on the campaign trail and in his TV appearances, mixing and mingling with voters everywhere. Young voters, including Indo Trinidadians as well as business people, including Indos, are attracted to him. A section of swing voters also gravitates towards him.

In terms of popular support, PNM has lost ground from 2020 in every seat except. The UNC partnership has gained support including in constituencies won by PNM. PNM supporters have been complaining that some of its MPs have lost touch with its base. As a result, Kamla has been able to attract more nontraditional support than in 2020. Overall, UNC has registered more gains in support than PNM. But this does not necessarily mean that either party will lose seats it holds or make gains from the other as the contests are tight.

Supporters of both major parties are confident of victory. Any number can play in this unpredictable election.

Yours truly,

Vishnu Bisram

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