The ruling People's National Movement (PNM) led by the current head of government Keith Rowley has likely won the Trinidad and Tobago General elections celebrated on Monday and will lead the Caribbean country’s Government for another five years, according to Rowley’s declaration on national, local TV.
RELATED:
Trinidad and Tobago: All Set for Monday’s General Election
Analysts' predictions were fulfilled. The elections were closely contested by the ruling PNM and the opposition United National Congress (UNC) of former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Both political parties, PNM and UNC, have alternated in the Trinitarian Government since the 1991 elections. The current ruling party won the 2015 elections with 52 percent of votes and controlled 23 parliamentary seats. UNC, led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar, won 17 seats.
One hundred and forty-six candidates representing 19 political parties and four independents participated in the Parliamentary elections amid the conditions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The polls opened at 6:00 A.M (local time) and were expected to close at 6:00 P.M (local time). Still, according to Trinidad Express newspaper, 6 P.M came and went, but the voting continued because hundreds of people were still lined up at some polling stations.
About 1,134,000 citizens were called to cast their ballots in some 2,200 polling stations established in the 41 electoral districts in the so-called Republic of the Twin Islands. This oil-rich country gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1962.
From observations by the candidates and people who went to the polling stations on Monday, the turnout was more significant than the 2015 general election, when the electorate was 1,082,279, and 67.27 percent of voters came out to give their ballots.
International observers declined to participate in the elections after authorities imposed a compulsory 14-day quarantine upon arriving in the country for possible observers due to the Covid-19 pandemic.