Noted Barbadian pollster Peter Wickham is predicting victory for the incumbent Unity Labour Party (ULP), led by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, in tomorrow’s general election.
Wickham, who has been recently been in Kingstown carrying out polling, has not released the full findings of the latest CADRES survey. But he told the SUNDAY SUN that based on its performance in the last election, the New Democratic Party (NDP), led by Arnhim Eustace, was unlikely to achieve the required 5.4 per cent swing to unseat the government.
Wickham, however, acknowledges a definite swing against the Gonsalves-led administration, but is further predicting that the ULP will retake seven seats and reclaim the government in the December 13 poll.
He also expects that the NDP will hold on to the three seats it held in the last parliament, including Eustace’s East Kingstown constituency.
The other five marginal seats are said to be up for grabs.
But the NDP, buoyed by its success in the national referendum last year, remains very confident of victory. When contacted last evening, the party’s public relations officer Vynette Frederick dismissed Wickham’s poll outcome as baseless, saying “it does not reflect the mood on the ground or the general sentiment of the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines at this time”.
Yesterday, both sides were busy with last lap campaigning. The NDP wrapped up its campaign at Sharpes in Central Kingstown, while the ULP held its final meeting at the site of the proposed airport at Argyle.
Prime Minister Gonsalves was also scheduled to addressthe nation.