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Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Faces Election Test

   VOA News 23 May 2010
   Trinidad  and  Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning in Port of Spain,
   (2009 file photo)

Photo: AP

   Trinidad  and  Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning in Port of Spain,
   (2009 file photo)

   The  prime  minister  of Trinidad and Tobago, Patrick Manning, faces a
   serious test Monday as voters in that country elect a new parliament.
   Recent  polls  have  shown  a  strong challenge from opposition leader
   Kamla  Persad-Bissessar,  who  could  become the island nation's first
   female  prime  minister.   She leads the United National Congress and
   has  campaigned  on  promises  of  improving  health  care  and ethnic
   equality.
   Mr.  Manning,  of  the  People's National Movement, has been a popular
   leader  credited  with  overseeing  economic  growth,  particularly in
   Trinidad's  lucrative  energy  sector.   He  called in March for this
   election,  amid  growing  allegations  of  government  corruption  and
   criticism of high crime rates in the twin-island Caribbean nation.
   Elections had not been scheduled to take place for another two years.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP Reuters.

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