NACTA: PNM out front in Locals

The latest opinion poll conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) polling organisation for the July 14 local government elections shows the PNM leading the UNC by 12 percent. 

The poll also shows the PNM leading the UNC in the total number of seats each party is projected to win.  In fact, a majority of respondents (including UNC supporters) feel the PNM will sweep the local elections.  But it is important to note that a poll is a portrait of voter support only at a given period and inevitably changes over time.  And as such political fortunes could shift by election day five weeks away, a release from NACTA said. The latest Trinidad survey was carried out last week to determine voter support for the contending political parties.  NACTA interviewed 390 (166 Indians, 164 Africans, 60 others) voters to yield a demographically representative sample of the voting population.  Voters were polled randomly to make it as representative as possible of varied age, class, occupational and religious categories as well as of ethnicity and educational levels in the population.  The poll was co-ordinated by Vishnu Bisram.

According to the findings of the survey, the PNM leads the UNC 47 percent to 35 percent with National Team Unity Polling six percent and NAR one percent and 12 percent  undecidedly.  But the poll has a margin of error of six percent meaning that support for each party could vary up to six percent  in either direction. Thus, although the PNM leads the UNC by 12 percent, with the margin of error the election could become a lot more competitive in several seats especially in the local bodies of Sangre Grande, Rio Claro, Siparia, Couva and Chaguanas where the PNM has been making in roads.  It is important to note that the UNC has narrowed the gap with the PNM since an April poll when the PNM led by 14 percent, NACTA stated.