Chief elections officer Ramesh Nanan said there have been calls for a recount of votes in several regional corporations following Monday's local government elections.Nanan said the requests from Tunapuna, San Juan, San Fernando and Princes Town Regional Corporations came from three parties, the PNM, UNC and COP.He said the PNM asked for a recount in Les Efforts West/La Romaine, where its candidate Anderson Williams lost by 53 votes to the COP candidate Bishop Jankee Ragoonanan.
The PNM also requested a recount in Moruga in the Princes Town Regional Corporation, where the UNC candidate Phillip Gonzales was declared winner, after conceding defeat to the PNM's candidate Kenwyn Williams.Adviser to Williams' campaign, Caroline Ravello, said after the ballots were counted, Gonzales conceded defeat and Williams was declared winner and the ILP candidate Anthony Baptiste attracted few votes.Ravello said there was a small celebration in the PNM camp.
"Lo and behold, this morning we woke up to music and flags and motorcade declaring the UNC winner."She said she and the PNM camp contacted the EBC and requested a recount, which is scheduled to begin this morning at the Presbyterian School Number Two, Craignish, Princes Town.Nanan said a recount had already started at 3 pm yesterday for the Kelly Village/Warrenville district in the Tunapuna region. That request, Nanan said, was made by the COP candidate.
In the San Juan East district, the defeated UNC candidate requested a recount.