Former PNM vice-chairman on Young's selection: Morally wrong

THE People's National Movement's (PNM) former vice-chairman Robert Le Hunte says the country deserves a prime minister who has the full support of the political party he or she represents.

Le Hunte made his feelings clear on January 7 on the PNM parliamentary caucus's decision, a day earlier, to select Port of Spain North/St Ann's West MP Stuart Young to replace Dr Rowley as prime minister when he demits office.

It has been reported that a secret ballot ended 11-9 in Young's favour, with Rowley saying he opted not to cast a vote.

At a news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Central Administrative Services, Tobago, on January 3, Dr Rowley officially announced his intention to retire from electoral politics. He promised a smooth transition as he resigns as prime minister and PNM political leader.

At a news conference at the Magdalena Grand Hotel in Tobago on January 6, Rowley said the PNM's parliamentary caucus of elected MPs had selected Young to succeed him as prime minister. Those government ministers who are senators were ineligible to vote.

Young is also Energy Minister, Minister in the OPM and PNM chairman.

Rowley also said the PNM will hold a convention on September 28 to determine several matters, including who its new political leader will be. Rowley, who has been PNM leader since 2010, was re-elected in 2022, when he defeated former government minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira in that year's internal elections.

Rowley's term as leader officially ends in 2026, but he made it clear that he intends to resign soon as both political leader and PM. He has also said he does not intend to offer himself as a candidate in the general election.

While not giving any definitive date for his resignation as PM, Rowley says he should be done and finished with his last remaining official duties, including attending a Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Barbados, well before Carnival.

'MORALLY,  ETHICALLY WRONG'

In a WhatsApp comment sent to Newsday on January 7, Le Hunte acknowledged the Constitution at section 76(1) caters for government MPs to select a prime minister from among their ranks.

But it is important that anyone holding this position must have the full backing of the party they represent in Parliament, he said.

"The approach being adopted, although constitutionally correct is morally and ethically wrong,"Le Hunte said.

"In the case of the PNM and our constitution, this could only be achieved via the one-man-one-vote for the office of political leader and by extension the prime minister."

He added the decision of the parliamentary caucus was not in keeping with with international norms related to a prime minister's resignation.

Le Hunte cited the resignation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as an example.

On January 6, Trudeau announced he would resign as prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Trudeau, who has been prime minister since 2015, said he will remain at the helm until a new Liberal leader is selected. He added Canada’s parliament will be suspended until March 24 while a new Liberal leader is chosen.

His resignation has been linked to a series of crises, including the resignation of key political allies and disastrous opinion polls.

Trudeau's resignation has also been viewed as choosing to jump before he is pushed, ahead of a general election to be held later this year that he is widely expected to lose.

In Trinidad and Tobago's case, Le Hunte said, "This is a general-election year and the process is just as important as the end result."

Rowley's announcement of Young as his prime ministerial successor, he continued, has placed the option on the table of the prime minister and PNM political leader's being different people.

"That is a position that the PNM as a party will need to decide whether to endorse or not."

Le Hunte was confident the party did not envisage such a position evolving when Rowley was elected political leader 15 years ago.

He looked forward to the party deliberating on the decision taken by its parliamentary caucus.

This could happen when the PNM General Council meets later this month. Those meetings usually happen on the third weekend of each month, which sets January 18 as that date.

Le Hunte said, "I continue to feel strongly that the membership of the PNM, not a small group of 21 parliamentarians, should be the ones having a say on who the next political leader and prime minister should be."

He added this process should be initiated earlier rather than later.

ROBINSON-REGIS: NO ANIMOSITY

In a television interview, Arouca/Maloney MP Camille Robinson-Regis dismissed claims about any animosity in the PNM parliamentary caucus meeting when Young was selected to succeed Rowley as prime minister.

"It was fair and it shows that we have people within our ranks who could lead whenever, if the Prime Minister resigns, as we said."

Robinson-Regis, who is also Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives, also confirmed that the vote was 11-9 in Young's favour.

With an original total of 22 elected PNM MPs in the Lower House – and with the recent death of D'Abadie/O'Meara MP Lisa Morris-Julian – if this 11-9 tally is accurate and if Rowley really did not cast a vote, it would mean Young would have to have voted.

She confirmed Rowley's statement that Arima MP Pennelope Beckles-Robinson offered herself to the caucus as a potential successor. Robinson-Regis said Beckles-Robinson was fine. She could not say whether or not Beckles-Robinson was disappointed with the vote outcome.

"She (Beckles-Robinson) did make a speech after, and she put her full support behind Minister Young."

In a post on its Facebook page, the PNM expressed its full support for Young.

"Honourable Stuart Richard Young, your commitment and hard work inspire us daily. Together we stand with you with unwavering support, ready to move forward as one united force," the post said.

"Let's press onwards to victory. A better and safer future is within our grasp."

Efforts on January 7 to reach Young, Beckles-Robinson and La Horquetta/Talparo MP Foster Cummings – whom some in the PNM view as a viable option for political leader and prime minister – for comment proved futile.