Challengers Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan and Dr Lincoln Douglas remain confident, despite a opinion poll which puts incumbent political leader Prakash Ramadhar as the preferred choice for leadership of the Congress of the People (COP). Dismissing the findings, Seepersad-Bachan, the party’s chairman, questioned the accuracy of polls done by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (Nacta).
She recalled that in 2012 during the COP NATEX elections, a NACTA poll stated that she would not have won the chairman post by a large margin. “And of course that did not turn out to be true.” She questioned the size of the sample and geographic locations that the NACTA uses. Noting that she is not bothered by the latest findings, she said: “Of course we will continue to do our work. I don’t have much confidence in the NACTA poll.
Thus far, she said, the feedback she has been getting is good. “A lot of people speak to the new direction of the party. Many of COP supporters who are very disenchanted are willing to come back. I find it strange that a lot of people, not members of the party, saying they will like to join under the new vision we are articulating.” Douglas was also confident that on June 29 he will become the new leader of the COP.
“I am in this political leadership race to make a difference in T&T and in the Congress of the People party and I know for certain that my background work, my experience and my qualifications give me the best opportunity to lead this party and to lead this nation. Before this week is out all of the COP and most of the COP will know I am the man to lead this party.” He added: “I am not bothered by any poll.”
The findings of the poll obtained from interviews conducted over the last two weeks with 240 respondents who are supporters of various parties found as it relates of their preference for COP leader were 47 per cent for Ramadhar, 19 per cent for Seepersad-Bachan, five per cent for Douglas and two per cent for Foster. Attempts to reach Ramadhar on his mobile phone were unsuccessful.