GRASPING AT STRAWS TIME – A Brief Critical LGE Review of Trinidad

From Devant Maharaj

The Local Government Electoral results maintained the status quo of the previous elections with the UNC and PNM both securing the very same municipal corporations. Essentially nothing changed beyond a few additional seats in two corporations which still did not affect who controlled the respective corporations.

The election however did serve as a further indictment on the leadership of Kamla Persad Bissessar as political leader of the UNC. For this election Kamla resurrected the politically dead 80-year-old Jack Warner whom she rejected previously, she also had an accommodation with Gary Griffith despite her previous assertion of going it alone in 2018, and she welcomed the support of the OWTU as they openly campaigned against the PNM.

Without a doubt, Gary Griffith energized the local government campaign with a dynamic communication strategy and an enthusiastic campaign ethic. Gary was everywhere and indeed if Gary was the political leader of the UNC the election results could have been much better for the UNC. Jack Warner brought back to the UNC the nostalgia of 2010 and served to revitalize the UNC base with hopes and delusions of regaining political power. The OWTU surprising support was viewed as cracks within the traditional support base of the PNM and it was hoped that would have helped to capture the San Fernando corporation. The marginal seats of Point-a-Pierre failed to deliver the San Fernando Corporation underscoring the political impotency and usefulness of MP David Lee.

Despite these strategic alliances the UNC made no significant inroads in the East-West Corridor, or the Western peninsular and could not capture the coveted municipal corporation of San Fernando. Many felt that the PNM’s proverbial back was against the ropes and yet Kamla failed to deliver the knockout blow despite punching with heavyweights like Jack and Gary in her corner. The fearmongering playing on increased in crime, poor infrastructure, rising food prices, and declining healthcare services, all were working in favor of the UNC campaign. Yet the population did not respond, and it is self-evident that Kamla has lost the trust of enough of the electorate to be successful in any elections in the future.

The UNC grasping at straws will no doubt project the results of this local elections as some sort of perverted victory where they stress the few increases in seats and votes in an attempt to jump-start political momentum for the 2025 General Elections. The fact will stubbornly remain that nothing has changed with who controlled the respective cooperation last week and who controls them this week.

While the PNM will obviously use these election results to recognize and attempt to fix whatever concerns the electorate has, the UNC will refuse to make the hard but only choice of removing Kamla as political leader if they want to capitalize on the perception of political momentum.

Dr. Devant Maharaj, PhD, MBA