Shimica Toppin has vision for PNM's educational future

LATE Indian lawyer and civil rights activist Mahatma Gandhi once said people should be the change they wish to see in the world.

For Shimica Toppin, Gandhi’s words – a rallying call to action – are as relevant today as they were decades ago.

It’s what inspired her to contest the position of education officer in the People’s National Movement (PNM) Tobago Council’s internal executive election on April 27 and 28. She previously served in the party’s youth league.

Toppin, who was among three candidates vying for the position, got 54 per cent of the votes and will serve on the party’s executive for the next two years.

“I would have reflected daily about what I would like to see as an individual for the party and for young persons in general,” she told WMN of her decision.

“It’s always very easy to sit from the outside and critique but having an active role in the decision-making process was the only way I felt that my ideas would bear fruit as even the knowledge I have would be of no value if it’s not put into practise. I just thought to myself that success favours the brave and I decided to go for it. So I took that leap to make the change.”

A standard three teacher at the Bon Accord Government Primary School, Toppin, 32, said her profession was also a “driving force” behind her decision to contest the position.

“I guess once a teacher, always a teacher. It truly is fulfilling to me being able to impart knowledge in one way or the other because according to Nelson Mandela, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world.’”

She believes the role of education officer is crucial to the development of the party, its members and supporters.

“The party is guided by a constitution and under this the education committee falls, which is responsible for the social, political, economic and cultural education of members and the public in general.”

The education committee, Toppin said, also plays a key role in the PNM’s party school by helping to promote educational activities for all of its units.

The Prime Minister announced the establishment of the party school in September 2018 at the launch of his slate’s internal election campaign at the Arima Town Hall.

On that occasion, Dr Rowley said the school would give members a comprehensive understanding of the party’s role in the development of the country, and its vision for the future.

Toppin, who has a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Trinidad and Tobago, has already set out an agenda for her term.

“Through outreach programmes I would want to retool the members of the party based on their interest by way of financial seminars, health and wellness and other activities. I also intend to keep them up to date about current bills that they can benefit from and to whom it would apply, such as the procurement bill.”

She also plans to ensure that the party school is fully operational and designed in ways to reach the youth utilising various social media platforms “because the People’s National Movement has numerous achievements and the members as well as the public should be edified.”

Toppin was raised by a PNM family in Plymouth, a fishing village known for the Betty Stiven mystery tombstone and the Tobago Jazz Festival (now Jazz Experience).

She said her mother was a die-hard supporter of the party.

“I was one of those persons who was born into the People’s National Movement. So I did not choose the party. It chose me.”

But for Toppin, who has been a member of the PNM for the past 14 years, it was never about blind loyalty.

“As I grew older, I took my own notes as to the policies, structure and philosophies of the party, the democratic processes by which it is guided also what I would have benefited from, the fact that there is gender equality and a place and position for all under this institution.”

For her, politics is about facilitating positive change.

“The more I interact and the greater my responsibilities are and how influential a politician is and the positions that they are into inflict good change has always piqued my interest even more, one day sooner rather than later I’d be one of those change agents.”

Toppin believes politics is in her blood.

“I love and enjoy politics so much so that my siblings refer to me as ‘PNM Wife.’ I believe that it is a great place no matter which side of the political divide you are to make a difference in the lives of individuals and country.”

She is willing to grow incrementally in the party.

“As time progresses, I surely would put myself forward, not as a member of Parliament, just yet. But an assemblyman in the Tobago House of Assembly would be a great place to start.”

The Signal Hill Secondary school graduate said she became a member of the youth league through a close friend, Stephen Isaac, who was its chairman at the time.

“This experience was nothing short of fulfilling, being able to meet and engage the young people and assisting with various activities to garner youth support. Being able to influence impressionable minds in a positive way was nothing short of thrilling, especially around election time.”

Although she has had numerous unforgettable experiences as a member of the youth league, Toppin said the party’s overwhelming 12-0 victory in the 2013 THA election ranks as her most memorable.

“I remembered being on the motorcade on the Sunday and the entire island seemed to have gone yellow, which was the colour of the Tobago Organisation of the People at the time. I was very concerned about the momentum that was in the PNM’s favour and how the tide felt like it had turned.

“But when the dust settled on the night of January 21, 2013 and all was said and done, I never bothered with motorcades again and I was reminded that elections are won on election day. I am pretty sure that I was not the only shocked one.”

Eight years later, Toppin believes complacency accounted for the PNM’s heavy defeat to the Progressive Democratic Patriots in the December 6, 2021, THA election.

“In my opinion, I believe we became overly comfortable, and being in such a position it’s probably easy to fall through. We took some things and people for granted, though we have much to boast about.”

She said although the party is not perfect “better could have been done in certain aspects."

“But I feel the defeat had to happen to bring to our realisation the aspects that we were falling short by and see things from another perspective.”

Toppin believes the party, under Tobago Council political leader Ancil Dennis, has learnt its lesson and is once again poised to govern the island.

“This down time has surely taught us valuable lessons that we are learning from as a party so as to heal, which would enable us to be in a better position to revitalise our party, rescue our island and restore good governance and where the people can say, ‘Great is the PNM and we have prevailed.’”

She said the party’s platform, which Dennis presented at the convention on April 28, offers a road map of how the PNM plans to develop Tobago, if it is elected to lead the island after the next THA election, constitutionally due in 2025.

“The presentation was par excellence. I believe it was very relatable to the average individual so as to the content presented. I await the rollout and trust that it would meet all targets and also be utilised effectively and be beneficial to all.

“I know that there’s work to do and this is definitely a step in the right direction. I send commendations to all involved.”