Kamla: Tobago showed us the way

OPPOSITION LEADER Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Sunday thanked the people of Tobago for being the forerunner for what she considered as the lead-up to the PNM losing the 2025 general election.

Speaking at a virtual rally, Persad-Bissessar said, “Let us take the lead from Tobago, they have led the way. They are a shining star right now in the firmament of Trinidad and Tobago. Tobago has led the way, we must congratulate them.”

She likened Tobago to the star that led the wise men to baby Jesus and with the country in need of a new path, Tobago is the star leading the way, she said.

Sunday's event was themed the People's Revolution Rally and Persad-Bissessar had a message for the Prime Minister: Your time is running out. The people are in revolt.

Persad-Bissessar referred to the 14-one beating the PNM suffered at the hands of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Tobago House of Assembly elections on December 6.

“I say to (Dr Keith) Rowley again, the writing is on the wall. You get wiped out in your home town, man. You get wiped out in Mason Hall? I have run in my home town of Siparia for many elections and the day I lose in Siparia, I will say goodbye to politics."

Persad-Bissessar again raised the issue of Rowley and his relationship with a contractor over the purchase of a townhouse at Inez Gate, Shirvan Road, Tobago.

Also raising issues over the relationship between Rowley and the contractor was Dr Roodal Moonilal, who also had questions about an alleged relationship between senior government officials and the hierarchy of the police service. Moonilal suggested a contractor benefited from preferential treatment because of his political connections.

Referring to the 14-one beating, Moonilal said Trinidad may not be as kind to the Rowley-led PNM, given its mishandling of the country, particularly during the pandemic.

“A defeat of the PNM anywhere is a victory for democracy everywhere.”

He also trained his guns on the leadership of the police and prison service and questioned whether Deputy Commissioner Mc Donald Jacob and Prison Commissioner Dennis Pulchan were PNM members.

Moonilal said National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds compromised the men by having them at a media conference where the minister allegedly said, “We are the PNM,” when questioned about the outcome of the THA election.

UNC Senator Jearlean John, in her contribution, said while it took Tobago 21 years to see the ills of the PNM, Trinidad should not wait another day as she championed that “Rowley has to go.”

She said Trinidad should follow in the footsteps of their counterparts in Tobago and “run the PNM.”

In her speech, Persad-Bissessar said the PNM “mash up everything” the country had to offer.

She said 12 years ago, to the date, she launched the campaign to lead the UNC, which led her to become the first woman prime minister in 2010.

Persad-Bissessar said running a government was no easy task and with a partnership, it was even more difficult.

She added that after its defeat five years later, the party did not give up because she knew the Rowley-led Government was only going to bring suffering.