Mr Manning and Mrs Persad-Bissessar are chasing victory

A brisk voter turnout has been reported in Trinidad and Tobago, as nationals elect a new government to run the twin-island republic for the next five years.

BBC Caribbean correspondents in Port of Spain said that voters began queuing up before polling stations opened at 6:00 a.m.

Ninety-seven candidates are contesting the 41 seats at stake in the parliament.

The incumbent People's National Movement (PNM), which is led by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, is seeking a fourth term in office.

However the party is facing a challenge from a five-party coalition known as the People's Party, headed by Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who is hoping to be the country's first female prime minister.

Voters are casting their ballots at 1,472 polling stations, which are scheduled to close at 6:00 p.m.

The Elections and Boundaries Commission says 1,040,011 people are eligible to vote, up from 900,467 when the last poll was held in 2007.

In the last election, held in November 2007, the PNM scored a 26-15 victory as it took advantage of the split in the opposition vote.

Since then the United National Congress (UNC), which held the 15 seats, has been joined by a breakaway faction, the Congress of the People (COP) and three other groups in a multi-ethnic coalition.

Under the alliance arrangement, called the People’s Partnership, three parties are officially in the contest: the UNC is fighting 25 seats, the COP 14 and the Tobago Organisation of the People the two seats on Tobago.

Close race

The election was held well ahead of the constitutional deadline.

Polls and political analysts give the edge to an opposition coalition led by lawyer Kamla Persad Bissessar, who would become Prime Minister if the predictions are right, replacing the PNM.

	Patrick Manning called an early election

Four pundits on a local Sunday television talk show said Mrs Persad Bissessar’s alliance seemed likely to win 21 or 22 seats.

An opinion survey conducted last Thursday and released on Sunday, also said the race would be tight.

In the last election, held in November 2007, the PNM scored a 26-15 victory as it took advantage of the split in the opposition vote.

Since then the UNC, which held the 15 seats, has been joined by a breakaway faction, the Congress of the People (COP) and three other groups in a multi-ethnic coalition.

Under the alliance arrangement, called the People’s Partnership, three parties are officially in the contest: the UNC is fighting 25 seats, the COP 14 and the Tobago Organisation of the People the two seats on Tobago.

Another smaller party is the race - the New National Vision, led by Fuad Abu Bakr, son of Yasin Abu Bakr, whose muslim group staged an attempted coup in 1990.

It is contesting 12 seats while there are also three independents.

The two major contestants held massive closing rallies on Saturday, which they both estimated drew audiences in the tens of thousands.

Candidates held constituency motorcades on Sunday as they sought to mobilise the faithful.

Mr Manning, his administration beset by scandal, chose to call an election early when he could have stayed in office until the first quarter of 2013.

It is the fifth general election held in Trinidad and Tobago since 2000, one of which produced a tie that led to the extension of the seats from 36 to 41 at the last election.

Analysts say the early polls are indicative of the closeness of support for the main parties.

The 2002-2007 government of the PNM was to only one during that time to last a full term.