Le Hunte on Rowley's legacy: Great ideas, poor execution

FORMER PNM vice-chairman Robert Le Hunte says Dr Keith Rowley's tenure as prime minister could could be characterised by bold decisions, great ideas and initiatives but poor execution.

He made this comment on March 15.

Rowley was prime minister from September 2010 to March 2025.

In a WhatsApp comment, Le Hunte said, "After 10 years, we are left wondering what could have been rather than celebrating what was done."

He reflected on Rowley being in public life for 40 years.

Le Hunte said this kind of service, in any career, is something worth celebrating when that service is given to the public.

"It is indeed highly commendable."

Referring to Rowley's last interview as prime minister on March 13, Le Hunte acknowledged Rowley's comment about Trinidad and Tobago being a difficult place to govern with all its built-in checks and balances together with the heightened level of mistrust in society.

"That being said uneasy is the head that wears the crown and when one assumes the mantle of leadership, it is expected that during the time in office, they are expected to execute their vision within the confines of the constraints in a manner to produce the required results."

Le Hunte is a banker by profession.

"While in management, I use a common equation to highlight this point."

Le Hunte said that equation is "non-performance, plus a good excuse, does not equate to performance."

“Too often we believe that a good excuse for not doing something is justification for it not happening. From a performance management perspective, this is not the case."

He said Rowley's time in office will definitely be remembered for two critical bold decisions he took.

"The closure of Petrotrin, whether we agree or not, was indeed a bold decision and his stance against the multi-national companies operating in Trinidad and Tobago to secure a better deal for the citizens who he referred to as his shareholders was indeed commendable."

Le Hunte lamented that during the last ten years, other initiatives mentioned by Rowley have not been completed for one reason of another.

He identified the establishment of a Chinese ship-repair facility in La Brea and Dragon gas deal among them.

"These are just a few of the ideas and initiatives announced and advanced by him with great transformational hope and promise for our country's diversification and development. "

He said, "We cannot help but feel that if as a leader he was able to facilitate the execution, we would be today in a much better place."

Le Hunte added, "Instead, our country is entering a new world order with a high degree of uncertainty. Our standard of living as we know it hinges on a project with Venezuela over which we have no control and we were told by him that our 'coo coo cook' if the project doesn’t materialise."

He said, "Shockingly, we have been placed in this situation without a clear alternative plan as a backup. This is definitely not a comfortable place to be in."

Le Hunte said Rowley's adversarial relationship with the opposition, whether warranted or not, has not benefited the country, "when we all recognise that constitutional reform, which will require the opposition's assistance, is needed for us to progress as a nation."