Hinds: My work as MP not done

MINISTER of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds said he will put a lot of focus onto his work as MP for Laventille West in his remaining time in electoral politics.

Hinds was brief in his comment to Newsday on November 30.

The minister did not give any reason for his decision to bow out.

Hinds told Newsday, "For the time being, I have said as much as I can usefully say on this matter, for the time being.

"In the meantime I continue to do the job of MP (to) serve my constituents. In fact, I have just come from one constituency engagement. I have a couple of others today. And a couple of others tomorrow, and I just continue to do that.

"But in so far as comments are concerned, I have said as much as I have wanted to at this point on that matter.

"I have already indicated that I will not be seeking re-election. There is nothing useful to add at this juncture."

Newsday asked if his exit would harm the PNM in light of Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein call's for the Prime Minister likewise to step down (speaking on November 29 at a UNC screening in Chaguanas).
Hinds replied, "You can ask the Opposition. I can't speak for them."

D Rowley told a post-Cabinet briefing on November 28 that Hinds had decided not to seek renomination as the party's Laventille West candidate in next year's general elections.

Despite a challenge from two other nominees – attorney Kareem Marcelle and Dr Kadele Jessamy – Hinds had been chosen by the constituency executive. It is open for the constituency executive to choose either of two the remaining nominees or reopen nominations.

However, Marcelle was supported by the women's group in the constituency, as seen in a leaked video of the first vote held. After a second vote, Marcelle won 106 votes to Hinds' 78 and one for Jessamy.

Hinds' exit comes against a backdrop of very high levels of violent crime, including 560 murders so far this year, and an ensuing sense of public upset.

Expressing sadness at Hinds' impending exit, Rowley said, “But I knew of his feelings along the way, but I’m not surprised that he’d have...

"You see, when you come to a point sometimes, you come to a crossroad, and you have to make a decision, and sometimes the angles of the crossroad are quite sharp. I saw it somewhere in the paper, I think that (it is) ‘family discussions’ or something like that. I too have a family, and I know how these things go.”

First elected as MP for Laventille East/Morvant in 1995, Hinds has had a long and varied career, serving in several ministries and as an opposition senator and then an MP in both government and opposition. He was Laventille East/Morvant MP from 1995-2007, and within that period, in 2004-2007, he was also minister of state in the Ministry of National Security and simultaneously the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Hinds returned to Parliament as an opposition senator from 2010-2015.

From 2015-2024, Hinds was Laventille West MP. During this time, he served as Minister of Works and Transport (2015-2016), Public Utilities (2016-2017), Minister in the Office of Attorney General and Legal Affairs (2017-2020), Minister of Public Utilities and Minister in the Office of Attorney General and Legal Affairs (2020), Minister of Youth Development (2020-2021), and Minister of National Security (2021-present).