Rallying the troops; parties end campaigns for May 24 vote

Tens of thousands will converge on two locations on the East West corridor Saturday for the closing rallies as the three-week campaign for the May 24 general election in Trinidad and Tobago winds down.

Police have decided to free up the Priority Bus route for all traffic to ease the anticipated congestion.

And a 36-member team of CARICOM observers is ready to deploy across the country to make sure everything goes well.

The campaign has been full of accusations and counter-accusations of political hooliganism but there have been no major incidents. At least one opposition supporters lost his home in an arson attack.

A firebombing in Barataria killed five people - including two children - but police and politicians denied that it was related to the election.

There have been angry confrontations between candidates canvassing for votes. In San Fernnado West Friday police were called to maintain order when supporters of the governing People's National Movement (PNM) tried to chase out the opposition candidate from what they described as "PNM country".

The leaders were away from traditional areas Friday night. PNM leader Patrick Manning was in Sangre Grande boasting of his government's achievements and pleading with young people not to squander their votes on the opposition.

And the leader of the UNC was in Tobago promising that never again would the island suffer the kind of "neglect and abuse" that it has experienced at the hands of the PNM.

The PNM campaign has been focused on its record. But it has suffered from allegations of corruption, mismanagement and arrogance, which helped cause the collapse of the government in just over two years.

The PNM has also suffered from a serious rift between the leader and former cabinet minister Keith Rowley.

Patrick Manning fired Rowley from cabinet for complaining about irregularities at the state company, UDeCOTT, and about special privileges being afforded to its Canadian executive chairman, Calder Hart.

Manning continued to defend Hart despite compelling evidence from a Commission of Enquiry that Hart's dealings were suspicious.

Rowley has been campaigning for PNM supporters to elect him and his party but to reject the leader.

That has worked well for the opposition, which is a coalition involving the two main parties - the United National Congress (UNC) and the Congress of the People (COP), The National Joint Action Committee, the Movement for Social Justice and the Tobago Organisation of the People.

The People's partnership, led by UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissesssar, represents a cross section of the country, including labour and citizens usually classified in the lowest rung of the social ladder.

It has been campaigning on a promise to end corruption and establish a people's government while shifting development priorities to people-oriented projects.

Persad-Bissessar has benefited from a surge in popularity following her January victory over former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday in internal UNC elections. That surge has translated into "Kamlamania", which could decide the result Monday.

While some polls are predicting a close race, all are suggesting a coalition victory. There are reports of a big swing to the opposition as disenchanted PNM supporters seem resigned to the idea that Prime Minister Patrick Manning has messed things up and would be defeated.

For many PNM faithful this might be a cleansing process after which they could install Rowley as their leader and rebuild in order to return to government.

On Saturday, both parties will make their final pitch. The PNM be at the Eddie Hart Grounds, Tacarigua; the People’s Partnership will take over the Aranjuez Savannah.