Penny bids for full control of PNM at internal election

COREY CONNELLY AND CAROL QUASH

REGARDLESS of whoever forms the new executive after the People’s National Movement’s (PNM’s) internal election on June 22, Pennelope Beckles has already created history by becoming the party’s first female political leader-designate and Opposition Leader.

Beckles, 63, contested the position unopposed but she will formally be declared as political leader on June 29 at the PNM’s special convention, where the results of the internal election also will be announced.

An estimated 100,200 members are eligible to vote in the election at some 41 polling stations.

For Beckles, her achievement signals a major turning point in the 69 year-old party which has historically been led by men.

Moreover, the Arima MP, who leads the One PNM slate, assumes the leadership at a time when the party is undergoing some serious introspection as it seeks to rebuild after its heavy defeat in the snap April 28 general election. The party went into the election with 21 seats and emerged with just 13 after being trounced by the UNC which got 26 seats, including the safe seats of La Brea and Point Fortin. Farley Augustine's Tobago People's Party won the two Tobago seats.

There also have been some concerns from within and outside of the PNM about her ability to effectively mobilise and lead the party amid reported fractures within its hierarchy and wider membership.

An anonymous group, calling themselves the PNM Changemakers, has been critical of Beckles’ leadership, thus far, saying she has remained silent against attacks from the party’s opponents on social media.

The group also has criticised her senatorial picks, saying that defeated candidates Foster Cummings and Faris Al Rawi, should have never been selected.

Cummings and Al Rawi, who served as ministers in the Dr Keith Rowley-led administration, lost their seats, La Horquetta/Talparo and San Fernando West, in the general election. The men are contesting the positions of general secretary and PRO on the One PNM slate.

Picking up the pieces

Is she up to the challenge of rebuilding the party?

Known for her quiet, measured disposition, Beckles, an attorney, may not fit the traditional mould of previous PNM leaders.

But she warned that her calm demeanour must not be taken for granted.

“Do not mistake my kindness for weakness,” she told guests during her address after being sworn-in as Opposition Leader on May 6 at President’s House, St Ann’s.

During the launch of her One PNM’s campaign in Arima on June 7, Beckles also alluded to concerns about her style of leadership moving forward.

She argued everybody has a different leadership style.

“You hear some saying I eh loud enough. I eh aggressive enough. I eh talking enough. She too soft. But there is wisdom in listening and some listeners don’t always speak very quickly. I am one of those who do a lot of listening.

“So yes, you might not find I am aggressive. Let us don’t get tied up with how loud yuh talk. It is the quality of your speech and it is important to strategise.”

Indeed, Beckles’ strategy for rebuilding the PNM involves, firstly, an admission that the party had lost touch with the needs and expectations of its supporters and the wider citizenry.

She received a lot of flak for this.

“Some people didn’t like when I said, ‘We lost our way. Well, we did but it doh mean to say we can’t pick up the pieces. It doh mean to say you can’t find yuh way. Because if you don’t admit that you made mistakes then you cannot recover,” Beckles said at a meeting in the Buccoo Community Centre, Tobago, on June 17.

At that meeting, she signalled that under her leadership it cannot be business as usual.

Her team, she said, must be willing to work to reposition the party for governance.

“So even as I have a team, if you on my team and you cannot work hard, then yuh have a problem because those of you who know me and you see me on Facebook, you would understand.”

Saying she remains committed to the party’s founding principles. Beckles said her strategy also entails strengthening the organs of the PNM and devising mechanisms to promote a stronger, more synergistic relationship between its executive and the Tobago Council.

Journey of resilience

Beckles journey in the PNM is one of hurt, resilience and triumph.

Born in Borde Narve village, the St Joseph’s Convent, San Fernando, alumna entered Parliament as an Opposition senator in 1995. She later served as the representative for Arima between 2000 and 2010.

Beckles also served as the Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate between June 2010 and December 2013.

She has held various portfolios in the Ministries of Social Development, Culture and Tourism, Public Utilities and the Environment, Housing and Planning and Development.

She was elected deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives on December 17, 2007 – the first woman to have ever been elected to the position in the history of the Parliament of TT.

Beckles was dropped as the Arima candidate in 2010 by then prime minister, the late Patrick Manning. Three years later, Dr Keith Rowley removed her as Senate leader.

In 2014, she unsuccessfully challenged Rowley for leadership of the party. A year later, she was screened for Arima but was rejected and subsequently took up a diplomatic post in 2016.

She was appointed as TT’s permanent representative to the United Nations and was also named co-chair president of the executive board of UN Women in 2019.

Beckles returned to the Rowley Cabinet in 2022.

"I have survived,” she said on the Breakfast Morning show on May 2.

"This (politics) is not always about what you want when you want it. It's a combination of things and understanding the dynamics of it.

"I challenged Dr Rowley, but he gave me another opportunity to serve in his Cabinet. As a leader and individual you understand that it's give and take. If you belong to an institution you have to abide by the rules. For me it has always been about serving.”

In 2020 and 2025, she was again selected to represent Arima in the Parliament.

Beckles came close to the position of prime minister after Rowley's decision to demit office in March.

She and Port of Spain North/ St Ann's West MP Stuart Young were the two contenders, and at the end of a two-day PNM parliamentary retreat in Tobago Plantations, Lowlands, Young was selected by a slim majority – 11 to nine.

Rowley resigned as prime minister on March 16 and was succeeded by Young one day later. On March 18, Young advised President Christine Kangaloo to dissolve the Parliament and announced April 28 as the general election date. The UNC won the election 26-13-2.

Young resigned as PNM chairman on April 30. Rowley also resigned as political leader as well as party's campaign manager Rohan Sinanan who had also served as deputy political leader that same day. Rowley also revoked the appointments of deputy political leaders Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and Colm Imbert.

Gadsby-Dolly was later appointed interim chairman of the party and Imbert interim vice chairman to facilitate the holding of internal elections.

The outcome paved the way for Beckles ascend to the position of Opposition Leader and now, PNM political leader-designate.

Baptism of fire

Senior Counsel Pamela Elder recalled that she, Beckles and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar graduated from Hugh Wooding Law School in 1987.

"Upon graduation, Penny and I joined the chambers of Theodore Guerra, SC and Associates, where for many years we had offices next to each other,” she told Newsday on April 30 after Beckles was appointed as the PNM’s first female Opposition Leader.

"As a young attorney, Penny received Mr Guerra’s unique training which he called 'the baptism of fire.’ She never displayed any timidity when given several magisterial briefs with instructions to either request adjournments or, if necessary, conduct the trials. These instructions were always fearlessly and robustly carried out."

Elder said Beckles conducted her practice with the highest level of professionalism.

"Her commitment to her clients was unquestionable and she diligently represented all irrespective of their social standing or ability to pay fees. Sometimes her practice looked like a legal aid clinic."

Elder said although Beckles always seems calm and composed, it should not be mistaken for weakness.

"I can say without fear of contradiction that though she is not one to be easily ruffled there is an iron fist inside the velvet gloves. She has an indomitable spirit and faces challenges with unswerving, unflinching faith in the Lord. She bends but never breaks, stumbles but never falls.”

She believes challenges, rather than weakening her, made Beckles stronger, calmer and more resolute in achieving her goals.

"Penny is indeed a woman of substance.”

Chief of the Santa Rosa First Peoples community Ricardo Bharath Hernandez said he was elated about her appointment.

"I think given her involvement and her representation of her constituency, she is an outstanding representative. She is involved in every possible thing that happens in the constituency," he said.

It was not uncommon to see Beckles playing cricket and table tennis with her constituents; chipping through the streets of Arima covered in paint or mud during Carnival or Borough Day; skilfully wielding her bois in the gayelle; celebrating birthdays or attending wakes and funerals in her constituency; or in the forest cutting coconuts and climbing trees.

"She is always present and even if she cannot deliver what someone asks for, she is there to give hope and moral support. I am happy for her that she has been able to obtain the office."

Former labour minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus said Beckles has been a long-standing member of the party and brings a wealth of international, regional and local experience to the job.

"I have absolutely no doubt that she would, in her way, she will focus on the critical issues. I know she will work with everyone to begin the rebuilding of the party. I can only wish her well and pledge my support to her programme of rebuilding."

ONE PNM slate

Political Leader – Pennelope Beckles

Chairman – Marvin Gonzales

Vice-Chairman – Dr Amery Browne

Lady Vice-Chairman – Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly

General Secretary – Foster Cummings

Assistant General Secretary – Patricia Alexis

Treasurer – Nal Ramsingh

Education Officer – Jelani Reid

Public Relations Officer – Faris Al Rawi

Social Media Officer – Symon De Nobriga

Election Officer – Indar Parasram

Field Officer – Curtis Shade

Labour Relations Officer – Kenneth Deoraj

Youth Officer – Kareem Marcelle

Operations Officer – Irene Hinds.

PEOPLE’S CHAMPIONS slate

Chairman - Farai Hove Masaisai

Vice-Chairman - Esau Mohammed

Labour Relations Officer - St Clair O’Neil

Public Relations Officer - Christopher George

Field Officer - Eric Hopkins 11

Youth Officer - Josimar James

OTHER CANDIDATES

Chairman – Chinua Alleyne (Port of Spain mayor)

Vice-Chairman – Paula Gopee-Scoon, Muhammad Ibrahim

Lady Vice-Chairman – Donna Cox

General Secretary – Roger Boynes, Tova Lin Sandy

Assistant General Secretary – Malika Blair

Treasurer – Anthony Davis

Education Officer – Clayton Blackman, Curtis Toussaint, Dr Hilary Bernard

PRO – Lisette Weekes

Social Media Officer – Runako Williams, Dominic Romain, Krystle Norwood, Shaun Dube

Elections Officer – Terrence Beepath, Sanjiv Boodhu, Leslie Lynch

Field Officer - Richard Thompson, Nyron Bayne.

Welfare Officer - Maxine Richards, Alicia Legere

Youth Officer – Aben Phillips-Brooks

operations officer – Eber Steele-Attong, Stern Barnes,

Labour Relations Officer 1 – Andrew Alves, Natasha Mohammed, David Taitt

Labour Relation Officer 2 ­– Wayne Gransam