Alexander bows out of politics

PHILLIP Edward Alexander stepped down on Monday night as leader of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP), keeping his promise that election day would send him either to Parliament or out of politics.

He spoke to reporters at 10.30 pm as it became clear the election had boiled down to a two-party result, with all small parties and independent candidates left in the dust.

The PEP did better than other small parties in several constituencies.

Alexander said its campaign had left TT a better place.

“The biggest positives are that people are talking issues now more than bacchanal. Hopefully we have planted some good seeds.

"The fact we were able to field 28 such powerful and beautiful candidates says a lot, that there are people who want a lot more than just politics for personal gain. That’s a good thing."

Personally, he said, "I feel like I’ve let down a lot of people who wanted change. I put everything into this. I held nothing back. I was hoping to be the person who precipitated and the process of moving us away from the race-voting that has trapped so many in squalid poverty. I, for all intents and purposes, failed at it.

"But Tuesday is a new day and we will come back to it, sit down and look at it and see what else could be done."

While he will step down as PEP head, he thought the party was now in a good place to transition to new leadership, suggesting chairman Felicia Holder should be asked to accept the post of interim political leader, with him offering to help in the transition.

“But in the best traditions of Westminster," he reiterated, "if you don’t lead your party into government, you step aside and give someone else a chance.

“You have to accept responsibility....At the end of the day as the captain of the ship I led the entire campaign. I was the political leader and national campaign manager, so I have to accept responsibility. And at the end of the day I am proud of what we have done.”