By Clint Chan Tack

Prime Minister Basdeo Panday yesterday discounted the poll which says he should step down. Panday repeated his view that polls only represent a point of view of a small number of people at a particular point in time. The mid-January poll from the North American Teachers Association (NACTA), showed a majority of UNC supporters saying the only way for the party to regain government was under new leadership and by an alliance with other political parties.

The poll stated that 61 percent of traditional UNC supporters felt Panday should resign, while 23 percent said no. The poll was aimed at tracking opinions regarding the upcoming local government elections.

United National Congress (UNC) MP for Oropouche, Dr Roodal Moonilal also dismissed the poll yesterday. Moonilal told Newsday that such a scenario was unlikely to happen. He said Panday remains in "the driver's seat" as far as the UNC's leadership is concerned and is "the premier candidate" to replace Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

Moonilal also dismissed suggestions that a Panday-led UNC could not defeat the ruling People's National Movement (PNM) in any future election (local or general). Moonilal recalled that the October 7 general elections which saw the UNC win 16 seats to the PNM's 20 was the more instructive poll for the population to follow.

NACTA poll respondents also stated that either Moonilal or Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath would be a better Opposition Chief Whip than the man who currently holds that job, Caroni East MP Ganga Singh.