Steadfast, courageous service

THE EDITOR: In the aftermath of the announcement by Prime Minister Dr Rowley that he will not seek another term in office, I noted the groundswell of commentary.

The usual insidious political vitriol from political agents and trolls were the first to fly with a heated flurry, then the seemingly, more measured political analysis from so-called political analysts came. One comment in particular caught my attention. This “expert” stated that “history will be kind to Dr Rowley.”

Whether clichéd or intended, I find a statement like that to be associated with troubled or failed figures, almost tragic in nature, who have to beg the kindness of history to absolve them.

Rowley, in my view, does not fit this category in the least bit, and does not have to beg history to be kind to him because the facts and his legacy already are.

As Prime Minister, I see him as an astute leader who unwaveringly held his ground with courage and conviction through some of the most difficult circumstances this country has encountered since independence.

He is the quintessential transformative leader who understands the process of change and is not afraid to confront the resulting conflict, something politicians both past and present always shied away from.

Rowley assumed office in 2015 when energy prices, the pulse of this nation’s lifeblood, was collapsing and in a free fall. The economy was in recession, cash at the Central Bank lasted days and our energy sector prospects looked bleak.

Major structural problems in the energy sector, ignored for five years by the previous administration, began to manifest in severely declining energy production.

Further, energy revenue, our major source of income, evaporated and was not expected to be seen for almost another decade.

Then there was the Petrotrin problem, an ailing oil company losing $2 billion a year, riddled with debt and threatening to pull the entire economy down. In my view, our economy was on the precipice, and it would take strong, decisive and courageous leadership to navigate these turbulent waters.

Fast forward to 2025, almost a decade later, and this country is estimated to have achieved three consecutive years of sustained economic growth and is projected to continue this trend for a fourth year, a remarkable outcome given the challenges and shocks we faced.

Due to restructuring and intense negotiations, new and better deals have increased the energy revenue of the country and placed us in a far better and more sustainable position.

Though many structural problems persist, our plan to monetise cross-border gas and develop local fields has created a positive outlook, especially for our gas industry.

Though difficult and unpopular, the Petrotrin problem was confronted and this $2 billion loss-making entity was restructured into a multibillion-dollar-a-year profit-generating asset that has paid billions in taxes.

Rowley’s leadership saw the difficult adjustment and transition of our economy from one that was high-risk and on the brink of catastrophe, to one that has become stable and sustainable. He has admitted we are not there yet but we are on the right track, and I agree.

For me, this minute aspect of his leadership of this country serves as a case study in economic management during a crisis in a hydrocarbon economy and should be studied for decades to come.

This does not even take into account a second energy price collapse, the covid19 pandemic, and navigating global inflation, which still rocks the global economy to this day.

We can examine the many aspects of Rowley’s leadership over the last decade and beyond and find countless examples of courage, vision, determination, resilience and tough decisions for the greater good of the country instead of political populism.

This is the Rowley I believe history will recognise and far from needing to be absolved, I think he will be admired.

VYASH NANDLAL

Carapicaima