De Nobriga, Sagramsingh-Sooklal wish PM well

CABINET and party colleagues are wishing the Prime Minister well after he announced on January 3 at a media conference in Tobago that he will not seek re-election and will step down as political leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM).

Speaking at the Office of the Prime Minister Central Administrative Services, Dr Rowley said, “Before the end of the legal limits of this term I will resign this office and go off to my family.”

He added, “When I announced the PNM victory in Balisier House (in 2020), I said I will not be doing that again. I meant it and I have kept it.”

Sources told Newsday the announcement came as a shock to some Cabinet members, as they were not informed (of Rowley's decision) ahead of the upcoming Cabinet retreat on January 5 in Tobago.

Speaking about the retreat Rowley said, “One of the things they will be told is that I will not be offering myself again to represent anyone in Trinidad or Tobago.

“Forty-five years is a long time and I would like, at this time, to say thank you appropriately along the way to all those who have supported my effort and I hope I would have positively impacted this country.”

Many senior Cabinet members and party officials, such as chairman Stuart Young and general secretary Foster Cummings, PNM Women's League and Housing Minister Camille Robinson-Regis were unreachable for comment on January 3 after the PM's announcement.

However, Minister of Communications Symon de Nobriga shared his sentiments and noted firstly, in keeping with Rowley’s work ethic, he does not expect the announcement to affect the government’s work.

“Any time that I have had the privilege of being a part of his cabinet, he has ensured that the business of government is never interrupted. So even this news will not interrupt the business of government. There will be no impact in terms of how government works and the constant focus on delivering to the people.”

He said the announcement has left him saddened, as Rowley is the reason he entered politics.

Noting Rowley’s service to the country, de Nobriga said history will be “extremely kind” to him.

“People will see the amount of effort that he gave to serving this country in some of the most difficult times that we have ever faced. Especially as we go forward with a light at the end of the tunnel that was lit under his guidance in terms of our revenue sources.”

He said Rowley, during his time in politics, was always honest with the population.

“To see the principled man that led this country, not always saying things in the way that you would like it to be said, but always addressing hard truths that we had to face. Making hard decisions and never shirking away from that.”

De Nobriga said Rowley’s greatest accomplishments as prime minister, including addressing the economic challenges and the covid pandemic, stem from his ability to lead.

“(He was) the centre of the fight that we had against covid when we saw around the world the impact it had and the knock on effects of that across the world.

“The leadership that he showed in terms of us having to revamp, retool and restructure so many things in the energy sector…The leadership in terms of our negotiations with huge multinationals, driving the restructuring of the Atlantic LNG arrangement and restructuring Petrotrin to turn it from an entity that was an absolute drain on the economy to a profit-generating business.”

Senator Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal said Rowley had “run a great race” and his legacy as Prime Minister will not be forgotten.

“He has taken this country through covid, steered this country through the Ukraine and Russia war, which has impacted us significantly, and he has done his part as a leader to unite this country.”

She said his decision to make the announcement public is an example of the level of transparency he strived for during his time in office.

PNM will take care of its business

Sagramsingh-Sooklal said Rowley’s decision to leave office as a sitting prime minister is also evidence of his principles.

“That will also go down as a part of his legacy. So that is just my two cents on...this announcement. Yeah, because I mean to step down while you're up, while you are prime minister, you know, that's, that's, that's evidence, I guess you're not a power-hungry person.

"He's not going to be wheeled out as a sick man. He's not going to be voted out. He's living at the top of his game, which, which primary.

"And on top of that, he served two terms as a prime minister of this country and he have led us through some of the darkest times.

She does not believe his departure, though, will negatively affect the party.

“The PNM is an institution. We have survived more than 50 years. So even when Doc officially leaves, I have every faith and confidence that the PNM, as it has done with leaders when they left office in the past, we will continue to survive. We will only continue to grow stronger, because we will take with us all of the lessons that we would have learned under his leadership as well.”

De Nobriga shared similar sentiments, saying the party will “take care of its business.”

“We are concerned with our role as the party charged with governance and we take that very seriously. After that, we have a political outcome we have to work towards, and that is winning the 2025 general election.”

When contacted for comment, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne wished this reporter a Happy New Year.