P.M MITCHELL BREAKS WITH RAMSAROOJ

Speculation is rife that Trinidad and Tobago pollster, Patrick Ramsarooj has fallen from grace with Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell. Informed sources told GRENADA TODAY that Dr. Mitchell has relieved Ramsarooj of a number of tasks previously assigned to him by the ruling New National Party (NNP) government.

A party insider confirmed to this newspaper that the pollster would no longer spearhead the campaign strategy of the NNP which is seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office. He declined to give specific details of the alleged "fall-out" between Prime Minister Mitchell and Ramsarooj but dropped hints that the Grenadian leader is not happy "with some of the things being suggested for implementation" by the pollster.

Ramsarooj is also said to have been complaining that the Grenada assignment with the ruling party was taking a "heavy toll" on his family life in Trinidad and Tobago. There are reports that a recent poll conducted by Ramsarooj showed that the NNP had lost significant support among the electorate in a number of stronghold areas and that the party was enjoying clear leads in only three of the fifteen constituencies (St. George North-west, St. George South-east and St. Mark's).

Prime Minister Mitchell is known to hold contrary views and has been confiding in close aides that the NNP is again poised to capture all fifteen seats in the upcoming general election. Ramsarooj left the island a few weeks ago and NNP insiders were stating privately that he has been marginalised.

The pollster is back on the island. It is not clear what is the new assignment given to Ramsarooj by the NNP leadership. NNP insiders have said that the party is planning a two-pronged attack on the opposition in its bid to seek re-election to office.

One of the strategies entails a "propaganda offensive" against the so-called leftist elements within the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). The other is a plan to  out-spend their rivals during the campaign.

According to one insider, the NNP is playing a wait-and-see game with the opposition in an effort to get them to spend their money before a date is set for the election.

"Right now NNP believe that the opposition don't have any money to stand up to them in a campaign. The strategy is to let them spent the little they have right now so that by the time the election is called they would be dead broke", he said.

The ruling party won all fifteen seats in the last election held in January 1999. However, they lost one when the Member of Parliament for St. Andrew South-west, Michael Baptiste, broke ranks and became the Leader of the Opposition. Prime Minister Mitchell has until April 2002 to call fresh elections.