PM Kamla confident of St Joseph victory

File: PM Kamla Persaad-Bissessar

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told reporters on Sunday polls don't reflect what will happen on election day, noting that they give a snapshot of what is possible at the time the survey is done.

Three polls on Sunday suggested that the candidate for the United National Congress (UC), Ian Alleyne, is behind the People's national Movement (PNM).

One of the polls, commissioned by the Express newspaper gave the PNm a 13 point lead on the UNC candidate with Terrence Deyalsingh at 39 per cent and the Alleyne at 26 per cent. The poll put the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) candidate, Om Lalla last at 19 per cent. 

The poll of 280 respondents was done on October 25 and 26 with a margin of error of 5.98 per cent and an undecided figure of 18 per cent.

The Express and other media asked Persad-Bissessar about the poll while she was walking in Bamboo Number One with Alleyne. She said, "A poll is a snapshot of a single day. A day in politics is like a year. We have many more years to come because we have some days to go before the election."

Persad-Bissessar said she is confident the UNC candidate will win the St Joseph byelection on November 4.

The ILP candidate also dismissed the Express poll. Lalla said Sunday he and the ILP are now building momentum.

The PM also commented on a call by the ILP leader for new elections for the borough of Chaguanas where each of the three parties would have 4 seats once the adlermen have been named.

Jack Warner said a new vote is required to settle the matter. But the PM told reporters Sunday there are precedents for dealing with a deadlock such as the one in Chaguanas and there is no need for a new election.

The easiest way to settle the matter is for two of the parties to agree to work together. So far, none of them appears to be interested in such an arrangement.