Kamla has the quality needed to lead nation

THE EDITOR: At Sunday’s UNC congress, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar demonstrated yet again to the people of TT that not only does she have a plan to rebuild this nation but she has the determination and political will to save our citizens from the crisis facing them.

In politics, many people believe that the route to political office is by simply putting forward a vision for national development and hoping for the population to gravitate towards them.

In 1945 Winston Churchill made that detrimental mistake of believing that as the leader who got Britain through World War II he would be re-elected. Instead, he was soundly beaten by Clement Atlee, who not only put forward a solid plan for rebuilding the UK but showed the determination to lead.

In the last four and a half years we have seen Persad-Bissessar do more than just create a plan for economic as well as national recovery. She has used her determination to pool together brilliant minds, create structures to represent the different groups and inspire youthful talent, all with the aim of fighting for a better nation.

Having joined the United National Congress in July 2008 while the student council president of Hillview College, I was impressed by the party’s vision back then but quite disheartened by the lack of determination to ensure differences, egos and varying beliefs were put aside under the leadership prior to Persad-Bissessar.

In those days prior to 2010, we had members of the UNC executive taking each other to court, we had different factions emerging and total disarray, all preventing the party from winning government.

However, under Persad-Bissessar, specifically in the last four and a half years, we have seen a leader so determined to stand up against the rampant social ills, poor governance and underdevelopment facing our citizens that she has been able to unite more than a party but a nation to rally for the sake of saving our country.

Not even Basdeo Panday had the determination of Persad-Bissessar to unite a party and motivate all to become part of a journey to rebuild our nation when it is most required.

With our country sinking deeper into public debt, lower foreign reserves, a contracting economy and rampant crime, we need more than vision. Our nation needs determination, a quality which Persad-Bissessar has always shown.

NICHOLAS MORRIS

international affairs officer, UNC