Opposition Leader concedes 2020 election: The people have spoken

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has said she is satisfied that the people have spoken and Dr Keith Rowley and his party shall form the new Government of Trinidad and Tobago. She said she congratulated them and wished them the best.

She said while she was disappointed in the election, she accepted full responsibility for the result.

“I am proud of all our 39 candidates and their teams for their continued dedication to service to the people of TT. I say a heartfelt thank you to Team UNC and the 309,000-plus citizens who voted for us. What the results have shown us is that once again our nation is deeply divided on which Party should be running the affairs of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Persad-Bissessar said the divisions are being reflected in a lot of the bitter chatter on social media and across the country.

“I am not prepared to fan the flames of hate. We recognise that we operate in an adversarial political system but now is the time for reconciliation and healing among our people. We are one nation. We are one people. I call on all political parties and interests to resolve immediately that we will not let our beloved Nation’s longstanding tradition of harmony, tolerance, and unity be jeopardised by expressions of hate, divisiveness, and fear-mongering.”

The Opposition Leader said she will commit herself to the leadership of the UNC in and outside of Parliament until the internal elections.

“There will be no more opportunity to “Blame Kamla” and I shall not allow myself to be portrayed as an obstructionist - as an excuse for the Government not moving forward.”

She said the government shall need to prepare itself for a fresh approach to Opposition politics.

“It is often said that a strong government needs an even stronger opposition. This is certainly true for our beloved country as we face unprecedented challenges that calls for a constructive partnership between government and opposition where the public interest is of paramount concern. I therefore pledge to lead one of the strongest opposition forces in our political history with safety, accountability, transparency and equality as our priorities.”

Persad-Bissessar thanked everyone who has supported her over the years and said they had a responsibility as a united people to protect the nation and the future.