Rowley accepts defeat, but not despondent

Keith Rowley accepted defeat Monday night in the Local Government Election (LGE), conceding that his People's national Movement (PNM) has lost the election to the People's Partnership.

He admitted that winning was a difficult proposition for the party with the election coming just eight weeks after the party faced a humiliating defeat in the May 24 general election.

Rowley expressed disappointment in the PNM's loss of strongholds in Diego Martin, Arima and San Fernando and said it seems that the party would retain just three of the 14 municipalities.

In 2003, when the party was in government, it won a majority with nine of the municipalities.

The PNM leader said he believes under the circumstances the party did very well and he congratulated all the winning candidates. He said the PNM is disappointed but not despondent.