NATIONAL Transformation Alliance (NTA) political leader Gary Griffith is proud of his team's effort during the election campaign, but said TT is not ready for a third option.
Since the early 1990s, the ruling party has switched hands from PNM to UNC.
UNC was declared the winners of the general election around 10.30 pm on April 28.
Griffith, speaking to the media at the NTA headquarters in Mt D'or at 9.30 pm on April 28, he said, "This is our first general election and the results will show that the country is not yet ready or prepared for a third choice, for a third option, and that is fine."
Griffith, despite the results, said the NTA can still celebrate the small victories during the campaign.
"I will ask all the supporters of the NTA, this is not a time for us to be despondent. It is not a time for us to have any degree of animosity at the country. The country has made a choice and we must respect it." Griffith, the Aranguez/St Joseph candidate, told his team to "lift your heads up, cheer up, you have done well."
The NTA leader said despite errors along the way, the UNC and PNM have made some strides over the last few decades.
"The PNM and UNC have done tremendous work to assist in the development of TT. They have made mistakes.
"Whoever is going to be in government they are also going to make mistakes.
"I ask all of you of the NTA (to) understand that political leaders and the supporters are not the enemy. I think for far too long we have seen the country being divided by politicians and political parties because of the hate, the animosity, the bitterness, in a deliberate attempt to divide the country to get into power."
Griffith said NTA has tried to unite TT and hopes to continue giving the country another option.
He reiterated TT citizens are still sceptical about another option other than PNM and UNC.
"Sometimes it is because of that fear factor. That fear factor that if I want a third choice, but if I vote for that third choice it will be seen as splitting up of the votes. It may cause the other side to get in."
At the time of his speech, Griffith did not know that UNC had won the elections, but urged TT to rally around the winning party.
"I hope that whoever gets in government that you do well. It is our job as citizens of this great country to support and respect whoever is going to be the next government."
