Well, the default Party has done it again: the PNM is obviously counting on the hope that no matter how badly it screws up, people will still prefer it to the Kamla led UNC. And they might have a point! Certainly, poll after poll has indicated that the UNC led by Mrs. Bissessar is not a viable alternative to the Rowley led PNM and so the very narrow PNM electorate has reasoned that the Rowley led PNM can and will win again as Kamla obviously has no intention of moving and there is no credible alternative to her leadership. At least, that is probably the thinking. So the PNM is obviously the preferred political Party by default and the UNC in its present carnation remains as not being a viable alternative.
Of course there is obviously the thought that there was cheating in the PNM polls and that this internal election that endorsed Dr. Rowley and his team was "t'iefed". Of course, this is a possibility that can't be discounted, but there is no justiciable evidence that there was "hanky-panky" and nobody can say that. Then there is always the very remote possibility that the rank and file PNM membership might revolt against this result- but this is obviously as possible as snow falling in Trinidad. (Although with climate change that may no longer be a good analogy!) If this were true, then the polls are wrong and the UNC is back in with a chance as many PNM supporters will simply sit on their hands and not vote.
So? What happens now? Reportedly, the turnout of eligible voters was a little over ten percent of the PNM membership - hardly a ringing endorsement, but nevertheless, one that the victors can "take to the bank". Based on present performance, it remains that it is most unlikely that the wider electorate will be tempted to turn to Mrs. Persad-Bissessar and her team. Can Mrs. Persad-Bissesar turn that around? Yes, she still has time, but there would have to be a wholescale demolition of her present team and replacing them with really attractive and powerful people - something that the lady has been obviously reluctant to do. Clearly, she is hoping that the wider public will get so fed-up with Dr. Rowley et al that it will feel that it has no choice but to turn to her - hardly a winning strategy!
Dr. Rowley himself could decide, for example, to change his front line - the fact that the false report about his firing his Minister of National Security was greeted with such obvious joy from just about every section of the society before it was announced that it was false would hardly have gone unnoticed by him - and then call elections soon after that and before his new team had a chance to fail. In other words, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar's gamble that the PNM is screwing up so badly that the electorate will turn to her will have been for nought. The default Party will win again. "Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don't"!
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