Above: Terrance Deyalsingh

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Opposition People’s National Movement candidate Terrance Deyalsingh won Monday’s by-election for the St Joseph constituency in Trinidad, according to preliminary results from the country’s Elections and Boundaries Commission.

It’s the second straight by-election lost by the ruling People’s Partnership, following the victory by Jack Warner in Chaguanas West in July. Warner founded a new party, the Independent Liberal Party, ahead of that vote.

In a statement on Facebook, the PNM issued congratulations to Deyalsingh for “leading the way to the next General Elections.”

Deyalsingh had been running against four candidates, including the United National Congress’ Ian Alleyne; the Independent Liberal Party’s Om Lalla; the Democratic National Assembly’s Michael Lopez and indpendent candidate Errol Fabien.

The PNM also won the local government elections held in the country at the end of October.

The three recent elections could represent a tide turning against the ruling People’s Partnership coalition led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, which has seen at least three large-scale cabinet reshuffles, most recently in September.