El oficialismo gana las elecciones y Keith Rowley gobernará cinco años más
Partido gobernante gana elecciones en Trinidad y Tobago
El gobernante Movimiento Nacional Popular (PNM, por sus siglas en inglés) de Trinidad y Tobago, liderado por el primer ministro, Keith Rowley, se declaró ganador de las elecciones parlamentarias celebradas el lunes, con base en resultados oficiales preliminares.
En un discurso emitido a sus partidarios la noche del lunes, Rowley dio a conocer que el PNM obtuvo la victoria en 22 de los 41 escaños del parlamento que estuvieron en disputa en los comicios, mientras que el Congreso Nacional Unido (UNC) consiguió las restantes 19 bancas.
Rowley, quien estará al frente del Gobierno de la nación caribeña por un nuevo periodo de cinco años, agradeció a sus partidarios, quienes, dijo, fueron fundamentales en la victoria del PNM en las urnas.
Polls opened at 6 am in Trinidad and Tobago as general elections kick off for 41 seats in the Parliament. There are 146 candidates from 19 political parties and four independent contenders in the race. Political analysts believe eight seats are marginal.
— Dareece Polo (@DareeceteleSUR) August 10, 2020
La lideresa del UNC, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, en declaraciones a sus simpatizantes emitidas también la noche del lunes, reconoció la derrota electoral ante el oficialista PNM.
El partido gobernante perdió el escaño del distrito de Moruga ante el UNC. En las votaciones de 2015 el PNM obtuvo 23 bancas parlamentarias y el UNC, 18.
Los resultados oficiales finales serán dados a conocer en el transcurso de este martes por parte de la Comisión de Elecciones y Límites (EBC).
Observaciones de los candidatos y de las personas que concurrieron a los colegios electorales el lunes aseguraron que la participación popular superó a la de los comicios de 2015, cuando 1.082.279 personas ejercieron su derecho al voto. Según estimaciones, acudieron a emitir su voto este lunes más de 1.140.000 electores.
Ver resultados oficiales
PNM earns fresh mandate with 22-19 win
Hard times are ahead for the next two years.
This was the declaration from Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley last night as the People’s National Movement secured a 22-19 seat victory over the United National Congress in the 2020 General Election.
Just after 10.30 pm, Rowley addressed a small gathering at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain declaring victory in the pandemic-hit election and giving his victory speech, in which he promised to do his best to lead T&T out of the current difficult and trying economic times.
“Tonight, the PNM has won the general elections. Tonight, against all odds in a most difficult situation, the PNM has been called to service in the government of T&T for a second time,” Rowley said proudly.
Saying the journey was difficult, Rowley said the PNM had steered the course and despite the adversity, “the people of T&T had done the right thing.”
He said the PNM had lost many votes from senior citizens who could not come out to vote because of COVID-19.
“In a pandemic, a number of senior citizens didn’t participate, the young people came to the fore and this victory is largely the involvement of youths,” Rowley said.
“The future in T&T is bright. We have difficult days ahead but as dark showers will bring thunder and lightning, after that there is bright sunshine. The passage of the storm is to survive and then enjoy the good weather,” he said.
But he warned, “The next two years will be very difficult but during that period we are required to do things to be in a better position to enjoy a brighter future. Elections tonight are over and tomorrow the elections are behind us. Let’s be one people together, working together. In this period, let’s put aside personal slights, personal wants and look at the national needs, especially those who can’t look after themselves.”
He added, “The government will play a role and build an economy in such a way that all of us are lifted by the rising tide and say mother Trinidad has been good.”
He said all the measures that the PNM planned will be executed.
“I will return to office in Whitehall as the Prime Minister of T&T. We contested hard,” he said.
The Prime Minister urged the country to make changes in the short term which will bring benefits later on.
“We have made commitments and we will carry out the commitments and we have a mandate and by God we will do what we said we will do,” he vowed.
He also hinted that the next five years will be his last term in political office. He smiled coyly and hugged his wife Sharon as he declared his intention.
Rowley said he planned to hand the mantle to young politicians whom he has been mentoring.
“To all candidates who have not won a seat, you are winners, your party has won the general elections. We will provide stable and sober leadership,” he said
With the election over, Rowley urged the country to “go back to being one people.” He said the priority now must be to ensure that no one is left behind and that those least able to take care of themselves must be looked after.
He vowed to digitize the country and expand the economy in agriculture after he picks his Cabinet this week.
Dr Rowley also paid tribute to his wife Sharon as well as the PNM’s public relations officer Laura Lezama-Lee Singh.
He also said he was pleased that COVID-19 protocols were adhered to.
Although the PNM declared victory, the political leader of the United National Congress Kamla Persad-Bissessar refused to concede defeat. Instead, Persad-Bissessar announced that the UNC will be asking for recounts in marginal areas.
“We fought a good fight. However, tonight I am not giving a concessionary speech. I am not conceding. Our candidates in several marginals are filing for recounts and only then we can concede. Go brave, we fought a good fight and we will continue to go and fight,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She added, “I am somewhat surprised by the results. The fights are not over until the recounts are done. Our party did very well, we could have done better. We fought a clean fight. It’s not over. There will be recounts.”
She congratulated the UNC Moruga/Tableland candidate Michelle Benjamin and Princes Town candidate Barry Padarath who won their seats.
Kamla: It’s not over
Por Yvonne Webb y Clint Chan Tack
Moments after the Prime Minister declared victory in Monday’s general election, UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she had no intention of declaring defeat.
Unofficial results showed the PNM had retained 22 of its 23 seats and the UNC had gained one more than it previously held for a total of 19 seats.
However, in an address to the media and party faithful at her Siparia constituency office, Persad-Bissessar declared shortly before midnight, “I have no intention to give any concessionary speech.”
She said the party and candidates in three marginal seats will call for recounts “because the numbers are so close. Only then will we claim victory or concede. That’s the way forward for us.”
She told her followers and re-elected MP Barry Padarath, whose Princes Town candidacy had been challenged, that they fought a good fight.
She singled out and congratulated Moruga Tableland winning candidate Michelle Benjamin, who beat the PNM’s Winston “Gypsy” Peters.
Persad-Bissessar said she was somewhat surprised by the results, but assured, “The fight is not over.”
Asked if her campaign strategy would have cost her the prime ministership, she said the party could have done better “but our party has done very well.”
Indarsingh: Kamla
is our leader
UNC Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh said Kamla Persad-Bissessar remains the party’s leader and there is no need for her to step down after Monday’ general election defeat.
Speaking with reporters after the UNC lost the election 22-19 to the PNM, Indarsingh said, “The UNC has one leader. That leader is Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar.”
He said the UNC will do a post-mortem of the election but there was no need for Persad-Bissessar to be replaced.
The party is resilient, he said, and took comfort in wresting Moruga/Tableland from the PNM.
He said he did not know of Persad-Bissessar’s announcement that the UNC would challenge the results in three marginal seats.
Asked where things went wrong, Indarsingh said the party had to fight the election in a different way because of the covid19 pandemic.
He remained confident the UNC’s 19 winning candidates would hold the PNM accountable in and out of Parliament.
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