Trinidad and Tobago general election, 2010
Encyclopedia
A general election was held in Trinidad and Tobago
on May 24, 2010. The date of the general elections was announced by Prime Minister
Patrick Manning
on April 16, 2010, via a press release. The election was called over two years earlier than required by law. Polls showing that the UNC-led opposition coalition was likely to win the election were confirmed by the subsequent results.
With preliminary results showing the People's Partnership
coalition likely to win a majority of 29 out of a possible 41 seats, Patrick Manning conceded defeat on election night. The final outcome has the People's Partnership winning 29 seats, and the PNM
winning 12 seats. As a consequence of the People's Partnership's win, Kamla Persad-Bissessar
of the People's Partnership coalition was elected Trinidad and Tobago's first female Prime Minister.
awarded 26 of the 41 seats in the House of Representatives to the People's National Movement
(PNM) and 15 to the United National Congress
-Alliance (UNC-A). Despite receiving almost 23% of the votes cast, the Congress of the People
(COP) received no seats. Several smaller parties, including the Tobago United Front/Democratic Action Congress
, also failed to secure any seats. PNM leader Patrick Manning
retained the position of Prime Minister
, while UNC-A leader Basdeo Panday
remained Leader of the Opposition
.
These were the first elections for a House which had been expanded from 36 seats to 41. Previous elections were mostly decided by five marginal seat
s—Barataria/San Juan, Mayaro, San Fernando West, St. Joseph and Tunapuna. The 2007 election raised the number of marginal seats to 10, with Chaguanas East, Lopinot/Bon Air West, Princes Town South/Tableland (renamed Moruga/Tableland for the 2010 election), Pointe-à-Pierre and Tobago East ending up among the marginals.
. The screening began in Manning's San Fernando
East constituency, with the other 40 electoral districts following. April 13, 2010, was the start of screening for the United National Congress
. Screening for the UNC-A is held at the party's headquarters, which is at the Rienzi Complex in Couva
. Screening for the Congress of the People
began on April 1, 2010.
of the UNC to be the country's first female Prime Minister. Persad-Bissessar's coalition won 29 of 41 seats, causing incumbent Prime Minister Patrick Manning
to concede defeat. Manning's PNM was reduced to 12 seats. In her victory speech, Persad-Bissessar stated: "The honor you've given me is without parallel ... I accept it with deep honor and gratitude."
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
on May 24, 2010. The date of the general elections was announced by Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Patrick Manning
Patrick Manning
Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning was the fourth and sixth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the former Political Leader of the People's National Movement . He served as Prime Minister from 17 December 1991 to 9 November 1995 and held that office again from 24 December 2001 until 26...
on April 16, 2010, via a press release. The election was called over two years earlier than required by law. Polls showing that the UNC-led opposition coalition was likely to win the election were confirmed by the subsequent results.
With preliminary results showing the People's Partnership
People's Partnership
The People's Partnership is a political coalition in Trinidad and Tobago between five political parties: the United National Congress, the Congress of the People, the Tobago Organization of the People, the National Joint Action Committee and the Movement for Social Justice...
coalition likely to win a majority of 29 out of a possible 41 seats, Patrick Manning conceded defeat on election night. The final outcome has the People's Partnership winning 29 seats, and the PNM
People's National Movement
The People's National Movement is the present-day opposition political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1955 by Eric Williams, it won the 1956 General Elections and went on to hold power for an unbroken 30 years. After the death of Williams in 1981 George Chambers led the party...
winning 12 seats. As a consequence of the People's Partnership's win, Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Kamla Persad-Bissessar is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the seventh person to hold this position...
of the People's Partnership coalition was elected Trinidad and Tobago's first female Prime Minister.
Background
The 2007 general electionsTrinidad and Tobago general election, 2007
General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on 5 November 2007. Nomination day was 15 October.The parties contesting the election were the incumbent People's National Movement, the official opposition United National Congress–Alliance , the Congress of the People , the Tobago United...
awarded 26 of the 41 seats in the House of Representatives to the People's National Movement
People's National Movement
The People's National Movement is the present-day opposition political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1955 by Eric Williams, it won the 1956 General Elections and went on to hold power for an unbroken 30 years. After the death of Williams in 1981 George Chambers led the party...
(PNM) and 15 to the United National Congress
United National Congress
The United National Congress is one of the two major political parties in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and one of the parties in the current ruling coalition. It was founded by Basdeo Panday, a lawyer and former trade unionist. The UNC was formed as the result of a split in the ruling...
-Alliance (UNC-A). Despite receiving almost 23% of the votes cast, the Congress of the People
Congress of the People
The Congress of the People met in Kliptown, Soweto, Johannesburg on June 26, 1955 to lay out the vision of the South African people. The Freedom Charter was the core statement of principles of the Congress Alliance, consisting of the African National Congress , the South African Indian Congress,...
(COP) received no seats. Several smaller parties, including the Tobago United Front/Democratic Action Congress
Democratic Action Congress
The Democratic Action Congress was a Tobago-based political party in Trinidad and Tobago.-History:The party was established in 1971 by A. N. R. Robinson, and was originally a autonomist party. It first contested general elections in 1976, in which it won both Tobago seats, taken by Robinson and...
, also failed to secure any seats. PNM leader Patrick Manning
Patrick Manning
Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning was the fourth and sixth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the former Political Leader of the People's National Movement . He served as Prime Minister from 17 December 1991 to 9 November 1995 and held that office again from 24 December 2001 until 26...
retained the position of Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, while UNC-A leader Basdeo Panday
Basdeo Panday
Basdeo Panday was the 5th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2001 and has served as Leader of the Opposition from 1976–1977, 1978–1986, 1989–1995 and 2001–2010. He was first elected to Parliament in 1976 as the Member for Couva North. He is the former...
remained Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest party not in government in a Westminster System of parliamentary government...
.
These were the first elections for a House which had been expanded from 36 seats to 41. Previous elections were mostly decided by five marginal seat
Marginal seat
A marginal seat, or swing seat, is a constituency held with a particularly small majority in a legislative election, generally conducted under a single-winner voting system. In Canada they may be known as target ridings. The opposite is a safe seat....
s—Barataria/San Juan, Mayaro, San Fernando West, St. Joseph and Tunapuna. The 2007 election raised the number of marginal seats to 10, with Chaguanas East, Lopinot/Bon Air West, Princes Town South/Tableland (renamed Moruga/Tableland for the 2010 election), Pointe-à-Pierre and Tobago East ending up among the marginals.
Screening
April 7, 2010, was the start of screening of 41 new candidates for the People's National MovementPeople's National Movement
The People's National Movement is the present-day opposition political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1955 by Eric Williams, it won the 1956 General Elections and went on to hold power for an unbroken 30 years. After the death of Williams in 1981 George Chambers led the party...
. The screening began in Manning's San Fernando
San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
The City of San Fernando with a population of 55,419 according to the 2000 census, is the larger of Trinidad and Tobago's two cities and the second largest municipality after Chaguanas. It occupies 18 km² and is located in the southwestern part of the island of Trinidad...
East constituency, with the other 40 electoral districts following. April 13, 2010, was the start of screening for the United National Congress
United National Congress
The United National Congress is one of the two major political parties in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and one of the parties in the current ruling coalition. It was founded by Basdeo Panday, a lawyer and former trade unionist. The UNC was formed as the result of a split in the ruling...
. Screening for the UNC-A is held at the party's headquarters, which is at the Rienzi Complex in Couva
Couva
Couva is a town in west-central Trinidad, south of Chaguanas and north of Claxton Bay and San Fernando. The Greater Couva area includes the Point Lisas Industrial Estate and the Port of Point Lisas. Couva's southern boundary is at the town of California, and to the north Couva stretches to McBean...
. Screening for the Congress of the People
Congress of the People (Trinidad and Tobago)
The Congress of the People is a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It is led by Prakash Ramadhar . Its symbol is the "Circle of Circles".- History :...
began on April 1, 2010.
Candidates
Winning candidates are in bold fonts.| Constituency | People's Partnership People's Partnership The People's Partnership is a political coalition in Trinidad and Tobago between five political parties: the United National Congress, the Congress of the People, the Tobago Organization of the People, the National Joint Action Committee and the Movement for Social Justice... |
PNM People's National Movement The People's National Movement is the present-day opposition political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1955 by Eric Williams, it won the 1956 General Elections and went on to hold power for an unbroken 30 years. After the death of Williams in 1981 George Chambers led the party... |
NNV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arima | Rodger Samuel (COP Congress of the People (Trinidad and Tobago) The Congress of the People is a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It is led by Prakash Ramadhar . Its symbol is the "Circle of Circles".- History :... ) |
Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing | |
| Arouca/Maloney | Anna Maria Mora (COP) | Alicia Hospedales | |
| Barataria Barataria, Trinidad and Tobago Barataria is a town in Trinidad and Tobago. It is just east of Port of Spain and Laventille and west of San Juan. It is part of the East-West Corridor.Barataria falls under the San Juan-Laventille Regional Corporation.... /San Juan San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago San Juan is a town in Trinidad and Tobago. It lies in North Eastern Trinidad, between Barataria and St. Joseph.It is a busy town in the East-West Corridor; the centre of town is known as the Croisee. Population is 54,900 , and it is the third city of the country, larger than the capital. San Juan... |
Fuad Khan Fuad Khan Dr. Fuad Khan is a Trinidad and Tobago politician. Since 1995 he has served as the Member of Parliament representing the constituency of San Juan/Barataria in the House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago. Elected on a United National Congress ticket he is currently an "Independent UNC... (UNC United National Congress The United National Congress is one of the two major political parties in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and one of the parties in the current ruling coalition. It was founded by Basdeo Panday, a lawyer and former trade unionist. The UNC was formed as the result of a split in the ruling... ) |
Joseph Ross | |
| Caroni Central | Glenn Ramadharsingh (UNC) | Sheila Madoo-Kurban | |
| Caroni East | Tim Gopeesingh (UNC) | Harold Ramoutar | Prakash Persad |
| Chaguanas Chaguanas The Borough of Chaguanas is the largest municipality 2000 census) and fastest-growing town in Trinidad and Tobago. Located in Central Trinidad about south of Port of Spain. It grew in size due to its proximity to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery. It remained a minor town until the 1980s when it... East |
Stephen Cadiz Stephen Cadiz The Hon. Stephen Cadiz, Member of Parliament for Chaguanas East, assumed the portfolio of Minister of Trade and Industry on Wednesday 2 June 2010. A prominent businessman and social activist, Minister Cadiz heads the Ministry responsible for the country’s diversification drive, i.e... (UNC) |
Mustapha Abdul-Hamid | |
| Chaguanas Chaguanas The Borough of Chaguanas is the largest municipality 2000 census) and fastest-growing town in Trinidad and Tobago. Located in Central Trinidad about south of Port of Spain. It grew in size due to its proximity to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery. It remained a minor town until the 1980s when it... West |
Austin "Jack" Warner (UNC) | Ronald Heera | |
| Couva North | Ramona Ramdial (UNC) | Nal Ramsingh | |
| Couva South | Rudy Indarsingh (UNC) | Anthony Khan | |
| Cumuto Cumuto Cumuto is a town and district in Trinidad. Cumuto is west of Sangre Grande and south of Arima. Between 1940 and 1956 much of Cumuto was part of the American army base known either as Fort Read or Wallerfield; the area was leased to the United States as part of the Destroyers for Bases... /Manzanilla |
Colin Partap (UNC) | Darryl Mahabir | |
| D’Abadie/O’Meara | Anil Roberts (COP) | Karen Nunez-Tesheira | |
| Diego Martin Diego Martin Diego Martin is a town in northwestern Trinidad, just north-west of the capital Port of Spain and east of Carenage. The Diego Martin Valley in the Northern Range was once filled with a number of small villages but is now a densely populated area. It was named after a Spanish explorer Don Diego... Central |
Nicole Dyer-Griffith (COP) | Dr Amery Browne | Nigel Telesford |
| Diego Martin North/East | Garvin Nicholas (UNC) | Colm Imbert Colm Imbert Colm Peter Imbert is a politician from Trinidad and Tobago, a member of the House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago and the People's National Movement... |
Melissa Ochoa |
| Diego Martin West | Rocky Garcia (COP) | Keith Rowley Keith Rowley Dr. Keith Christopher Rowley is the Member of the House of Representatives for Diego Martin West in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. A geologist by training, Dr. Rowley has been the representative for Diego Martin West since 1991.... |
Zawadi Abu Bakr |
| Fyzabad Fyzabad Fyzabad is a town in southwestern Trinidad, south of San Fernando, west of Siparia and northeast of Point Fortin. It is named after the town of Faizabad in India. Colloquially it is known as "Fyzo" by many people, especially taxicab drivers.-History:... |
Chandresh Sharma (UNC) | Joel Primus | |
| La Brea | Ernesto Kesar (UNC) | Fitzgerald Jeffrey | |
| La Horquetta/Talparo | Jairam Seemungal (UNC) | Nadra Nathai-Gyan | |
| Laventille East/Morvant | Kwasi Mutema (COP) | Donna Cox | Umar Khan |
| Laventille West | Makandal Daaga (COP) | NiLeung Hypolite | |
| Lopinot/Bon Air West | Lincoln Douglas (COP) | Neil Parsanlal | |
| Mayaro Mayaro, Trinidad Mayaro is a town in Mayaro County on the island of Trinidad in Trinidad and Tobago. The Rio Claro-Mayaro Regional Corporation is headquartered in Mayaro.-See also:* List of cities and towns in Trinidad and Tobago* Rio Claro, Trinidad and Tobago... |
Winston "Gypsy" Peters Gypsy (calypsonian) Winston Edward Peters, also known by his sobriquet Gypsy is a Trinidad and Tobago calypsonian and politician and currently serves as that country's Minister of the Arts and Multiculturalism.... (UNC) |
Clifford Campbell | |
| Moruga/Tableland | Clifton De Coteau (UNC) | Augustus Thomas | |
| Naparima | Nizam Baksh (UNC) | Faiz Ramjohn | |
| Oropouche East | Roodal Moonilal (UNC) | Christin Ramdial | |
| Oropouche West | Stacy Roopnarine (UNC) | Heather Sedeno | |
| Pt Fortin | Nyahuma Obika (COP) | Paula Gopee-Scoon | |
| Pointe-à-Pierre | Errol McLeod (UNC) | Christine Kangaloo | |
| Port-of-Spain North/St Ann's West | Annabelle Davis (UNC) | Patricia McIntosh | Fuad Abu Bakr |
| Port-of-Spain South | Gisselle Russel (COP) | Marlene McDonald | Travis Mulraine |
| Princes Town | Nela Khan (UNC) | Anwarie Ramkissoon | |
| San Fernando East | Carol Cuffy-Dowlat (COP) | Patrick Manning Patrick Manning Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning was the fourth and sixth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the former Political Leader of the People's National Movement . He served as Prime Minister from 17 December 1991 to 9 November 1995 and held that office again from 24 December 2001 until 26... |
|
| San Fernando West | Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan (COP) | Junia Regrello | Indrani Abu Bakr |
| Siparia | Kamla Persad-Bissessar Kamla Persad-Bissessar Kamla Persad-Bissessar is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the seventh person to hold this position... (UNC) |
Vidya Deokiesingh | |
| St Ann's East | Verna St. Rose Greaves (UNC) | Joanne Thomas | Christian Dookie |
| St Augustine | Prakash Ramadhar (COP) | Balchandra Sharma | |
| St Joseph | Herbert Volney (UNC) | Kennedy Swaratsingh | |
| Tabaquite | Suruj Rambachan (UNC) | Farouk Mohammed | |
| Tobago East | Vernella Alleyne-Toppin (TOP) | Gizel Thomas-Roberts | |
| Tobago West | Delmon Baker (TOP) | Terrence Williams | |
| Toco/ Sangre Grande | Rupert Griffith (UNC) | Eric "Pink Panther" Taylor | Neil De Silva |
| Tunapuna | Winston Dookeran Winston Dookeran Winston Dookeran is a Trinidad and Tobago politician and economist. He currently serves as Political Leader of the Congress of the People. His term ends on July 3, 2011 when internal elections will be held to select a political leader. At a press conference on May 28, 2011, Mr. Dookeran... (COP) |
Esther Le Gendre |
Results
The election was won by the People's Partnership coalition, causing Kamla Persad-BissessarKamla Persad-Bissessar
Kamla Persad-Bissessar is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the seventh person to hold this position...
of the UNC to be the country's first female Prime Minister. Persad-Bissessar's coalition won 29 of 41 seats, causing incumbent Prime Minister Patrick Manning
Patrick Manning
Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning was the fourth and sixth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the former Political Leader of the People's National Movement . He served as Prime Minister from 17 December 1991 to 9 November 1995 and held that office again from 24 December 2001 until 26...
to concede defeat. Manning's PNM was reduced to 12 seats. In her victory speech, Persad-Bissessar stated: "The honor you've given me is without parallel ... I accept it with deep honor and gratitude."