38,000 Tobagonians can vote tomorrow

A SIGNIFICANT number of the 38,076 persons eligible to vote in the Tobago House of Assembly elections tomorrow are playing their political cards close to their chest and there are hints on the ground that at least half of the electorate may not cast their ballots. According to data from the Elections and Boundaries Commission’s (EBC) headquarters in Port-of-Spain, there are 38,076 persons eligible to vote in the polls — a reduction of 529 from the December 15, 2004 total of 38,615 persons.

In terms of Tobago’s 12 electoral districts, the 38,076 persons are divided as follows: 3,000 (Bacolet/Mt St George); 3,291 (Belle Garden/ Goodwood);  3,162 (Bethel/Mt Irvine); 3,480 (Black Rock/Whim/Spring Garden); 3,089 (Buccoo/Mt Pleasant); 2,998 (Canaan/Bon Accord); 3,312 (Lambeau/Signal Hill); 3,085 (Parlatuvier/L’anse Fourmi/Speyside); 3,110 (Plymouth/Golden Lane); 3,309 (Providence/Mason Hall/Moriah); 3,068 (Roxborough/Delaford) and 3,172 (Scarborough/ Calder Hall).

Between December 15 and 29, 2004, there were 13 additions and 20 deletions from the electoral list. There was little variation between the new and old electoral lists. The number of special voters eligible to vote in this year’s THA elections is 532 and these electors are spread evenly throughout Tobago’s electoral districts. However, while the statistics about who can vote in tomorrow’s elections seems clear, what remains unclear is how many will vote and who will they vote for. The majority of Tobagonians interviewed by Sunday Newsday would only say that tomorrow’s elections would be “a tough fight” and they were not about to predict a winner. In the Plymouth/Golden Lane seat of DAC Leader Hochoy Charles, several constituents were firm in their belief that “the Heavy Roller” and the DAC would be victorious. One man said Charles had “a good chance” of retaining his seat while two others said the DAC has picked up momentum as the election day approached.

However, some of Charles’ other constituents were not so sure this election would be a walkover for the DAC. One woman noted that Charles’  PNM opponent, Godwin “Chief” Adams, appears to have large pockets of support in some parts of the constituency and held a large meeting in Plymouth early last week. She added that Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s appearance on the campaign trail with PNM candidates could galvanise support for the ruling party. In Black Rock, persons in different parts of the constituency were divided between the PNM and the DAC. One resident wondered whether a DAC-controlled THA would be able to work together with the PNM Central Government in Trinidad as well as incumbent Chief Secretary Orville London’s administration had been able to do.

In Bacolet, the majority of the constituents were mum on who they were supporting and whether they would vote at all. In Canaan/Bon Accord, some constituents believed the DAC would gain more support but were not certain whether that would be enough to defeat the PNM. One taxi driver said the PNM had the advantage of incumbency, but the Independent candidates could split votes in a way which could favour the DAC. Canaan/Bon Accord and Bacolet/Mt St George are two seats in which the PNM are reportedly trailing the DAC. A NACTA poll released Thursday, predicted a PNM victory and said while the PNM was behind in those two seats, the DAC is behind in four seats which it is defending.

A Charlotteville businessman said voting in Tobago was very different from Trinidad and people were just waiting to see who offered them the best choice of a better life. He explained that while many Trinidadians felt matters pertaining to the Landate project in Mason Hall and Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley would have been a topical issue during the elections, this has not been the case. Rowley was cheered when he addressed the PNM’s presentation of candidates on December 12 at Signal Hill and was present on the platform in Scarborough at the launch of the PNM’s election campaign.

Outside of the PNM and DAC, persons interviewed by Sunday Newsday in and out of Scarborough claimed the NAR vote could determine tomorrow’s winner. One clerk from Speyside said if NAR supporters swing to the DAC, the PNM could be in trouble. However, she said that swing was dependent on how many NAR supporters feel comfortable with former party leader Cecil Caruth’s decision to switch allegiance to the DAC in the manner that he did. Both sides are expected to hold islandwide motorcades, starting from Scarborough today.