High hopes for Young – Cabinet members give thoughts on incoming PM

GOVERNMENT ministers are feeling hopeful, if a bit bitter-sweet, as the dates approach when the Prime Minister resigns and current Energy Minister Stuart Young is sworn in in his place. They are looking forward to continuing to work with Young for the betterment of TT.

Public Administration Minister Allyson West said she was looking forward to what Young would bring to TT’s governance, having been an integral part of the government for almost ten years.

“He is young, bright, energetic, hard-working, patriotic and protective of TT.

“As Minister in the Office of the PM he has been intimately involved in and privy to many things that the rest of us would not have been as exposed to. He has also worked closely with our phenomenal leader for all those years and would have benefited from his mentorship. Young has also served directly in and led critical ministries and acted in others. He is therefore uniquely poised to take over the reins of leadership.”

She said she expected Young to put his shoulder to the wheel, and lead from in front. She said she expected him to be a hard taskmaster because he appreciated the magnitude of the task ahead.”

“I’ve looked at him spreading his wings as he comes closer to ‘D Day,’ and I see the emergence of a statesman, a people person, a leader prepared to call us out when need be but determined to listen to his colleagues to arrive at consensus and work with us to get things done. Just as he is ready to put in the effort required, he will expect the same of his team – the team he is inheriting as well as the team he creates in the fullness of time.

“I am expecting and hoping for the continuation and completion of the critical programmes and projects started under our outgoing leader even as new projects and programmes are introduced. I am hopeful he finds wide acceptance and that he can inspire the population to work together for positive change because we have whole of society problems that require whole of society solutions.”

West said words could not express how she felt about Rowley, as she felt honoured to have been chosen as part of his Cabinet and eternally grateful for the opportunity to work with and for him.

“He obviously saw something in me that I did not see, as this was never a job that I ever felt compelled to try or equipped to handle. But saying yes to the call from Rowley and working with him and the rest of the team since 2017 has enabled me to stretch and grow in ways I never imagined.

“I know that I will miss him tremendously, continue to apply the lessons he taught us and forever be grateful to him for giving me this opportunity.

West said she still hadn’t come to terms with knowing Rowley would no longer be part of her work life.

“The PM is brilliant, has an amazing understanding of our (history) and world history and is an incomparable strategist. He often doesn’t explain at the outset why he takes certain positions or embarks on certain courses, so it’s sometimes baffling. But when we trust his leadership and guidance, as I have done, and things start to manifest themselves you have this ‘ah-ha’ moment and wonder at the brilliance of the man.”

Bitter-sweet transition

Communications Minister Symon De Nobriga said the transition was bitter-sweet, even as he was excited to be part of the team at this time. He said it had been an honour and a privilege to serve as a councillor, local government chairman and a cabinet member under Dr Rowley.

“This transition is happening in a way that has never been done before in our country’s history, but at the same time, to see the Prime Minister calling time on his career in electoral politics brings with it a sadness for me personally. Dr Rowley is the reason I decided to join the PNM.”

He said he could not sufficiently describe the respect and admiration he had for Rowley.

“Our country has had to navigate an extremely difficult time since 2015. Managing us in the aftermath of the previous administration, the debt and disarray that we were left with, external shocks that impacted our revenue, a global pandemic, geopolitical shifts, all while operating with a purposefully reckless opposition that weaponised their Parliamentary minority required a generational leader. We were blessed as a nation to have that leader and I consider myself lucky to have had an opportunity to learn from his example.”

De Nobriga said he looked forward to a continuance of the government’s positive work under Young.

“I expect Minister Young will lead our team in the same way he has led us when he acted previously and in his own ministry, focused on delivery, driven and committed. I only hope to be able to support his leadership and the work of the government in any and every way.”

Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell said he felt privileged to be an active politician to witness this historic transition at this time.

“It truly is an honour to have been led by Rowley and to have learned so much from him during these near ten years and I look forward to supporting Stuart Young as he takes the wheel as captain of the ship. I expect continued excellence in the timeless tradition of all PNM prime ministers.

“I am hoping that he maintains the tenacity, and the fearlessness that he has come known for in seeking the interests and wellbeing of the people of TT now and well into the future.”

Mitchell said Rowley had always sought after the welfare of the citizens of TT.

“He has been straight talking and clear with his vision for TT and by extension the Caribbean. He has led this country to punch well above its weight class. He has distinguished himself as a true and proud Caribbean man and history will be very kind to him.”

Rural Development and Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi said Rowley had led the Cabinet for the last ten years and the PNM for the last 15 years on a journey of reformation for both party and country.

“We have successfully navigated the savages of the collapse of the price of oil and gas revenue and covid19, to name two of the most difficult events. This success was in large part delivered by the capabilities of a properly functioning team which was allowed to develop, establish itself and properly flourish under Dr Rowley’s management.”

Al-Rawi said he was accustomed to working with Young and could vouch for his insatiable appetite for hard work and success.

“It was beyond comforting to undertake the immeasurable tasks of managing covid19 alongside him as I felt assured he had my back and that I could always rely on his courage and persistence to cover the life-and-death decisions we made.

“This makes my belief in his ability to properly take TT in the right direction an absolute certainty as I am assured that it will be delivered through a powerful team effort where sober reflection and consideration meets careful preparation and dedication.

“Dr Rowley leaves a party ready for the challenge. The next generation is secured. We salute his long-standing service and dedication to country and are assured that his legacy lives on in the many of us that he has invested in and fostered.”

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne paid tribute to Rowley, saying he had worked closely with him in his role as PM/cabinet head and as head of government of a founding Caricom member state.

“Dr Rowley has never been absorbed by personal vanities or overly focused on adjusting individual perceptions of his every attribute. He is a hard worker who leads from the front and expects his team to carry their responsibilities with integrity. When he delegates, he does not micromanage. He has abiding faith in our nation’s youth and the transformative power of education, having himself been uplifted by an excellent academic foundation.”

Browne said Dr Rowley had never been afraid to stand up for TT, for Caricom, and for his principles.

“I would remember him as a leader who was sometimes misunderstood, but who always acted boldly with a keen eye on the future of our land. He was also empathetic and liked to see others shine and succeed.

“He has always demonstrated pride in the unique diversity of the nation that he has led, whilst at the same time being fully confident in his past and future as a black man in a world that often severely undervalues persons of colour.”

He said Dr Rowley adored family, and always without fail enquired of the well-being of others, especially the children.

“I remember back when I was Ambassador in Brazil and that country was being absolutely devastated by covid19, he would regularly check-in to see if my family and the team were safe, and the call would always end the same way, “Well Dr Browne, batten down the hatches and press ahead. Take care of them.

“He takes care of his mental health by reading everything he can, and really enjoys the outdoors via gardening, golfing and other pursuits. I have always been worried that he gets too little sleep due to excessive work and what seems to be a bit of an addiction to CNN and international news channels. Retirement might either cure or exacerbate that one.”

Browne said Rowley was extremely pragmatic and, along with Young, had made important decisions that would shape the future of TT for generations.

“Of course, he has a characteristic that very few leaders have been able to find within themselves... that ability to recognise the best time to call it a day and facilitate the next generation of success.

“I will always be grateful to him for recognising something positive in me that has led to my additional service to TT, this I do not take for granted. That gratitude and my other observations over the years have led me to develop trust in his decisions about the future of the government and the party, and full confidence in the direction of our collective future. He has been outstanding in all the ways that matter.”

Browne said he looked forward to working with Young who he thought would bring to his role youthful dynamism, modern thinking, v and pragmatic statesmanship, better focus on public communication, and a keen ability to look at the big picture and lead the solutions to difficult challenges.

‘Rowley an example of resilience’

Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said Rowley’s resignation was the end of an era.

“Dr Rowley is an indomitable man, my political mentor, and he has taught me so very much about public service, politics, management, and leadership. I’m sad to see him demit office, though I am happy for him and his family – who has loaned him to us for so long – to enjoy his next stage.”

She said Rowley has led the nation through difficult and historic times, and his leadership has achieved significant successes and progress for TT.

“Naturally, some will not admit this, but dealing with persistent pessimism is par for the course when one holds high political office. You learn very early you cannot please everyone.

“However, that never daunted Dr Rowley, who gave us the example of resilience under fire, never losing your passion for service, even in the tough times.”

She said Rowley invested time and energy into selecting young people with great potential and has left behind a team with an excellent mix of youth and experience in public life, in line with his well-known assertion, “Hard work is for young people.”

“This team is best prepared to lead TT forward. We now have to honour Dr Rowley’s legacy by rallying together to continue serving our country and building on the foundation he has left. He expects nothing less.

“I know that sentiments such as these will be paramount in Minister Young’s mind at this time, as he faces the challenges that will, no doubt, come with the territory.

“Heavy is the head that wears the crown. However, he will face what comes with a team around him, and together, in the best traditions of the PNM, we will offer the nation the most stable, progressive option for continued leadership, advancement and development.”

Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales said it was a privilege to have worked with Rowley over the last four-and-a-half years.

“I want to thank him personally for the opportunity not only to work with him in the PNM at a representational level in my constituency of Lopinot/Bon Air, but also to serve in the capacity of Minister of Public Utilities.

“I think public service is an honour and this could not have happened without the fact that Dr Rowley allowed me this opportunity. I consider myself quite privileged to work under him and under his tutelage over the last four-and-a-half-years and that would have also assisted me in the way I managed the politics, and the way I managed my responsibilities as well.”

Gonzales wished Rowley a happy, well-deserved retirement as he said the PM had given his life to TT for over 40 years.

“He’s given his life to TT for over 40 years and I honestly believe that his family should enjoy this stage of his life. I think they’re deserving of it, his wife, children and grandchildren. He’s certainly deserving of rest, even though we are going to miss him tremendously in the Cabinet, because of the experience he would have gathered over the years.”

Gonzales said he had an excellent working relationship with Young, who would have worked closely with Rowley for almost ten years.

“I know he would have learnt a lot working closely with Rowley, not only in the Cabinet but in the Office of the Prime Minister.

“I think we in TT are privileged to have a young person like him who worked closely with Rowley and I look forward to him discharging his duties as PM, bringing to bear the experience he would have gained.

“I’m looking forward to continued good governance under the stewardship of Minister Young, capable governance, and working with him to ensure the PNM presents itself to the people of TT as a worthy alternative for continuing governance.”

Energy Minister Stuart Young will be sworn-in as prime minister on March 17 by President Christine Kangaloo at President’s House, St Ann’s. Dr Rowley is set to retire as PM on March 16 after 45 years of public life.