Approximately 12 hours ahead of yesterday's general election results, outgoing Prime Minister Patrick Manning was confidently projecting that the ruling PNM would win more than 21 of the 41 electoral seats. Manning delivered his forecast to reporters about 9.30 am yesterday, after he and his wife Hazel cast their ballot at Belmont Secondary School. Also voting at the same venue was PNM Port-of-Spain North/St Ann's West candidate Patricia McIntosh. Manning and his wife arrived around 9.15 am, accompanied by a heavy security detail.
Arriving immediately ahead of him was NNV candidate, Fuad Abu Bakr, son of Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr. Manning, his wife and McIntosh were greeted by Port-of-Spain Mayor Murchison Brown, who exchanged kisses with Mrs Manning and Mrs McIntosh. Shelving his usual suit for a loose big shirt of muted white and blue-grey tones, Manning came out of the polling station to speak to the crowd of reporters, among whom were regional correspondents. Manning quipped: "I told you all already; I'm not going anywhere... Look me here." Asked how he was feeling, Manning immediately replied: Excellent...!" As for who was expected to win, Manning replied: "PNM, of course... absolutely, absolutely, absolutely. We're winning more than 21 seats–we're going to win.
In fact, we are likely to win quite handsomely, actually. We're absolutely certain. "This is my eleventh general election... We will get more than 21 seats–that's all I need to say." Asked about a possible loss, Manning said: "If you lose, so be it. When you go into a contest, you can either be a winner or loser. If we lose. it's the democratic process. But that's unlikely."
Manning said he did not have concerns. On detractors' views that he may have taken a dangerous risk by calling the election early, as he had done in 1995, Manning said: "That's their view, I have an entirely different view. Others have not properly analysed the 1995 response... We've conducted an excellent election campaign and we're confident. "The fact that you did not expect the election does not mean it was premature. In fact, we consider it was very timely–very timely." Manning laughed off the perception that he was under pressure. He added: "I am experienced; I know how to pace myself in an election campaign. It's one day at a time." He declined to discuss the marginal seats, saying he had his own views. He also said he was very confident about Tobago.
Asked about his perceived unpopularity, Manning said: "Which people saying I unpopular? That's not what we're picking up in the campaign." He also dismissed the Nacta poll. Noting the foreign regional media, Manning remarked: "Plenty Bajan press here, boy...! Manning said he had received a lot of calls from Caribbean colleagues. He said he did not buy into the perception that what might be happening in other regional states might also affect T&T. Manning pointed out that in the current election, the PNM had utilised a changed approach. After voting in Belmont, Manning went to his San Fernando East constituency office and other PNM offices in the south before returning to Port-of-Spain to prepare for last night's results.