Senior Reporter
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
While the United National Congress (UNC) was always favoured to win the Quinam/Morne Diablo constituency in yesterday’s Local Government by-election, a street party broke out along the Moruga Road, Princes Town last night, after People’s National Movement (PNM) candidate, Pastor Autly Granthume, claimed victory in the Lengua/Indian Walk district.
A preliminary count by the PNM showed Granthume amassed 2,083 votes over UNC’s Nicole Gopaul’s 1,336. It was a margin of 747, a significant gap considering the Elections and Boundaries Commission had declared a tie between the candidates following the August 2023 Local Government Elections.
It has been years since the PNM claimed the seat, now creating an opposition voice in the UNC-led Princes Town Regional Corporation with the addition of a councillor and alderman. Before being hoisted on supporters’ shoulders as they chanted his name outside his campaign office at Indian Walk, Granthume said the tie gave him a second chance to strengthen himself. He said he and his team took the chance to present the facts to people and let them know they meant business.
“I feel proud. I feel great. I feel magnificent. I am just joyful in my heart because of this victory and I know that it is not because of my might nor my power, but all by almighty God and the entire team has been around me rallying for the past nine months.”
As the opposition, Granthume foresees challenges but will not be fearful, saying he will stand with God and his supporters and the Government will back him up.
Meanwhile, Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi hailed the victory, saying under Local Government Reform, Granthume will be the chairman of the audit committee at the PTRC, creating greater scrutiny of spending.
While the PTRC would have continued to serve the electoral district in the absence of a councillor, Al-Rawi said the council did it in selective ways. He warned the UNC that the victory was a signal that the Moruga/Tableland constituency would return to the PNM.
PNM campaign co-ordinator, Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon, said the victory was just the start for the PNM in the district and believes Granthume will serve the people, as he has been for the last 38 years. She said the PNM was happy about the in-roads in the district and was happy to serve all of Moruga, starting with Lengua/Indian Walk.
At the UNC’s camp in Petit Cafe, Gopaul declined to speak, while Moruga/Tableland MP Michelle Benjamin said she would only give a statement at the Penal constituency office. Earlier on, UNC deputy political leader Jearlean John said she had faith in how Benjamin directed the campaign and expected a favourable result.
“When the people speak, we respect that. That is what a democracy is about, but it was a very busy day, and we all came out,” John said.
Meanwhile, cheers rang out in Penal as Sarah Sookdeo solidified the UNC’s stronghold in the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC) with a clear victory over the PNM’s Anderson Nanan in the Quinam/Morne Diablo by-election.
It meant the PDRC had maintained a full UNC council. Sookdeo said she followed the mantra of putting God in front and walking behind, as she thanked electors and her party for choosing her.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar had earlier declared a landslide victory for the UNC, even with six polling divisions outstanding.
Persad-Bissessar thanked the party’s foot soldiers and voters for helping the party secure victory, saying there was a higher voter turnout than the previous election.
PNM’s Nanan accepted defeat, saying it was what the people wanted. He said he wanted to uplift the district, but it seemed the people did not need it and believed in the UNC. He congratulated Sookdeo on the election and was happy that he captured the hearts of 1,000 voters. Despite the result, Nanan said he plans to continue working with the community through the PDRC and his business.
Regarding Nanan’s defeat, Al-Rawi said he had tripled the votes from the last election in a seat that was a foregone conclusion for the UNC.