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Political scientist Dr Bishnu Ragoonath. -POLITICAL SCIENTIST Dr Bishnu Ragoonath was quite worried about apparent youth apathy in the political process, saying this was seen in the January 12 election for the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). The Tobago People's Party (TPP) swept all 15 seats in the polls. He spoke to Newsday on January 13.
Ragoonath firstly had no problem with the overall electoral turnout, saying the 50 per cent level was similar to the January 2021 turnout of 51 per cent which subsequently rose to 57 per cent in December 2021. However, he was quite concerned about youth participation levels.
"I am concerned that we have this apathy or lethargy amongst the (youth) voters, both in Trinidad and Tobago."
He said in the last general election in Trinidad about 54 per cent of electors voted.
"So that tells us something.
"Something is actually going on in our society, where people are not enthused to go out and cast their vote."
He said more and more people were holding back from voting, as the first issue in TT.
Ragoonath tried to make sense of the Tobago turnout.
"Yesterday we were told there were long lines. There were lines literally at the polling stations early in the morning. Before 10 am people were active, lined up and stuff."
He said that early high turnout in itself seemingly suggested a good thing, but there was more to the story.
"But when we look historically, what is the demographic of people who actually go and vote by say 10 am? Is it the young people or the more mature (and) the elderly?
"I think it goes to the latter, rather than the former."
He surmised people lined up to vote in the morning but later on not many voted, presuming the former were mature in years and the latter youthful.
"It tells us we have to do something with regard to our youth. Get them excited enough to go out there and vote."
English (US) ·