Tag: Dr Rowley

The best news in years

THE EDITOR: For some time now, the single most repeated and generally accepted assessment about the core of politics in this country is that the two major political parties depend on separate ethnic bases for achieving and holding on to their alternating roles of being the government or opposition.

This assessment, when applied to our current situation, therefore, sees the ruling PNM, when the next general election is held later this year, dependent on its Afro-base to hold on to power. And it is believed that, likewise, the opposition UNC, if it is to have any chance of becoming the next government, it will, at a minimum, have to hold on to its full Indo-base.

This scenario of tribal, ethnic-based politics has been with us to our detriment for all of our history as an independent nation – and appeared to be permanent.

Now, suddenly, almost out of the blue, but not, the Afro-based PNM has selected an individual from a minority ethnic group – the Chinese – to be the country’s prime minister.

We should not be completely surprised by this development because Young has been appointed by and worked closely with the Prime Minister in high-level governmental capacities for several years. And, perhaps even more significantly, over two years ago he was elected chairman of the Afro-based PNM.

It appears to me, and I expect also to most independent observers, that Prime Minister Rowley for some time now has been grooming Young for leadership of the PNM – and the country.

And his Afro-based party has not only gone along with this but supported it – as is demonstrated by the latest decision to agree to Young’s appointment as prime minister when Rowley leaves office.

Now, whatever the actual details of these developments and whatever the future holds for us as a nation, as a completely non-partisan apolitical citizen and patriot, I am personally very pleased with the decision taken by the PNM general council to agree to the selection of Stuart Young for the post of prime minister. This is for me the best news I have had in many a year.

And because of the consequential impact of his decision on electoral politics in this country – now and into the future – Dr Rowley will go down in history as one of the most positively and fundamentally impactful prime ministers and leaders in this country and, indeed, in the region and hemisphere.

Regardless of which political parties win power in the coming years, this nation will owe him a huge debt of gratitude for the most positive messages his actions in this matter have sent to the voters of the country. Voters will know that from now on they will be valued for who they are and not what they look like.

Thank you, Dr Rowley, and best wishes for success to you, Minister Young.

And now it’s over to the UNC. Changing the party colour from yellow to blue is not enough.

ASHTON S BRERETON

Champs Fleurs

Changing the face of the PNM

THE EDITOR: Contrary to public perception, many leaders have tried to change the culture within the organisations they lead, mostly without success.

Basdeo Panday tried to change the mentality of the United National Congress (UNC) membership by supporting Carlos John for the position of deputy political leader ahead of Ramesh Maharaj.

Admittedly, his proposal was viewed by many as selfish and vindictive. But whatever the reason, Panday was unsuccessful.

Prime Minister Rowley is trying to change the culture of the PNM with respect to the selection of a leader knowing full well that selecting a prime minister by the one-man, one-vote process will be unlikely to facilitate his choice, given his choice’s ethnicity, privileged birth, business connection, seniority challenges, etc.

Although some of these challenges may serve as serious potential for the holding of higher office, Dr Rowley has worked hard at mentoring his favoured son in other relevant areas to fill the position he expects to vacate shortly.

The supporters of other aspirants can point to ethnicity and birth considerations, ie, identification with the low-income and general support base of the party, seniority, and political experience. The biggest bugbear facing the PNM is the acceptance of the salary increases proposed by the Salaries Review Commission (SRC) and the crime situation.

With respect to the SRC recommendations, it is widely believed that Penelope Beckles would not accept them wholescale in solidarity with the four per cent offered to ordinary workers, whereas the Prime Minister and Young would support acceptance, thus breaking with the working class and thereby fostering accusations of alignment with the business and privileged class.

While many of us may not begrudge the PM for moving on with a golden handshake after 45 years of public service, the question still remains unanswered as to how to balance the high increase, deserving or not, of those in higher paying, high-office, public-sector positions with the meagre increase being forced upon the public sector working class.

Whoever finally takes over the leadership mantle must confront this issue if the PNM is to maintain its working class base.

According to the latest news release, Young has received the full backing of the general council. This confirmation of Young as the next prime minister demonstrates that culture can be changed given the fact that people of any ethnicity, perceived class, privileged birth, etc can expect to lead the PNM.

Young can be expected to bring his family’s business acumen and connections along with the mentoring received in the PNM to the position of prime minister.

As he prepares to take up this challenge of leading the PNM into the general election and the future, he must be prepared to address the following immediately: the crime situation, foreign exchange shortages, the road network, and an overall lack of confidence among the population – the youth in particular – in politicians, the economy and the police.

I wish Young all the best.

D THOMAS

Port of Spain

Rowley bids media farewell: Please don’t forget me

THE Prime Minister spoke cryptically to ask that he not be forgotten, as he prepares to demit office soon, for Energy Minister Stuart Young to take over the reins of government.

Dr Rowley said goodbye to the media at a mix-and-mingle function held by the PNM at Balisier House on January 15, but left listeners wondering exactly what he meant.

“As I address you here, I don’t know how many of you believe in I-don’t-know. But there is something happening that I will share with you.

“I won’t be talking to you a lot in the not-too-distant future. So I hope you don’t forget me.”

He recalled visiting his house in Goodwood Park to get ready to move back in after almost ten years away from it, living at the Prime Minister’s Residence, St Ann’s.

He recalled a book fell off a shelf, which, incidentally, he had won as a Tobago schoolboy in a public-speaking contest in 1967.

“I talked a lot,” he quipped, “and I won the Tobago leg.”

However, on coming to Trinidad for the national finals at Queen’s Hall, he stood on the stage awed by the setting, and uttered not one word.

“I am looking at this huge audience in Queen’s Hall looking for a face I would recognise, and I never said a word.”

Rowley recalled that after what seemed an eternity – but what was probably just two minutes – he was escorted off by his school principal.

“And that is how I started my speaking career,” he recalled, “saying absolutely nothing, but getting a prize.”

His tale prompted giggles from media personnel and politicians.

“I think it was not by happenstance that I took that book down yesterday.

“I think it is telling me that I have come full circle, and maybe I should have nothing more to say.

“If that is so, it behoves me to say to you that when you think of me, try and remember the afternoon in Queen’s Hall, because that might have been the most spectacular performance that I have had in public in Trinidad.”

He said after he had left the stage as a youngster, he vowed to himself never to be in that situation ever again.

“That if I have something to say, then I will say, without let or hindrance. And I have done that in Trinidad and Tobago, from 1970-2025.”

Rowley said he hoped some of what he had spoken about in his political life had benefited people.

“I want to thank the PNM for being able to fulfil my promise to myself that I would speak again and speak my truth.

“I want to thank all of you in the media for trying so hard to sometimes try to get me to a place of silence, but most times in recording the words that I would have uttered.”

The PM thanked his ministerial colleagues over the years, some whom had died, as he recalled the likes of former PM Patrick Manning and former MP Morris Marshall. He lamented the recent passing of veteran journalist and former Newsday editor-in-chief Jones P Madeira as the end of an era.

Rowley urged reporters to not ignore the existence of the good things in TT, saying while the country has its challenges, it has very much to be glad for.

He was glad reporters felt comfortable attending a function at a political party’s headquarters.

Rowley said the media last week had seemed more concerned about the future of the PNM than even the party had done, in a reference to a week of reports and speculative articles about the leadership succession.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if I had known that I would be missed, I would have left along time ago.”

Saying nothing happens before its time, he said, “My time is drawing nigh.”

“But I am very pleased to see so many young people in the media, because you will be walking in time with an equivalent number of young people in the PNM, because our transition is being effected and the future of this country is bright and secure, between the PNM and the media corps of TT.
“Happy New Year to you all.”

Earlier, the PM said the media had played a notable role in ensuring government ministers think before they act.

“If we do make a mistake and act before we think, then we are reminded by the media that you are there.”

DCP: Police can turn off lights, but doors always open

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Junior Benjamin says police officers are allowed to turn off the lights at police stations.

His comments come after the Prime Minister said officers at some police stations were closing the door and turning off the lights because they were afraid of criminals.

Dr Rowley made the statement on January 13 while speaking in Parliament during a motion on the extension of the state of emergency (SoE) that was declared on December 30.

“In some instances, police officers whose job it is to protect us and secure us, in some districts at night, are so afraid of the criminals that they close the police station door, turn off the light, and be inside there hoping that the criminals don’t come at them.

“That happens. It not supposed to happen, but it happens.”

Contrary to Rowley’s claim, Benjamin said turning off the lights at a police station can be done as it is in line with the police’s internal security policies.

Benjamin told Newsday while he was unable to reveal the content of the policy, there was one, and officers were within their rights to take action to ensure their safety.

“Based on the policies that we have, there is a way in which we try to treat with security in the best interest of the officers. It is based on those things that we may see within the police service whether to keep the lights on or off. But it is there, and the decision is based on those internal policies that we would have put in place.”

Pressed on whether the public would see any changes at all, Benjamin said, “We’ll always do whatever is in the best interest of our officers, based on our internal policies that guide the security of the buildings.”

Benjamin’s comments echo sentiments shared by president of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association (TTPSWA) ASP Gideon Dickson.

On January 14 Dickson told Newsday he found Rowley’s comments “startling, to say the least.”

He explained some stations had tinted glass frontage which, although it provided some respite from the sun during the day, was a security risk to officers.

He said at night, it affected their ability to see what was happening outside the station.

“The lights being off and doors closed have nothing to do with the criminal elements. The lights are taken off because it is a security measure we adopt as an organisation.

“In the night, that tint obscures the person inside’s vision. The people outside would have the upper hand in terms of seeing inside, especially if there is light inside.”

Benjamin also addressed claims that the doors of some stations were being locked at night. He said he was unaware that this was the case, but added if it was accurate, it should no longer be a problem.

He said even if the lights may be off, the doors will be open and people should not be deterred from entering the station and making a report.

“I spoke to my divisional commanders about it, and if that was existing, it will be something in the past, because we are on heightened alert and all stations are to open their doors 24/7 so that the public can have access to make reports.”

He said police officers were willing and able to do the job.

“Anytime you go to the station, it will be open, and all officers will be ready to entertain any report…and you can rest assured that your report will be dealt with professionally.”

Police Commissioner (CoP) Erla Harewood-Christopher also addressed Rowley’s comments in a media release on January 14.

She said in the wake of the comments, she wanted to reassure the public of the police’s “dedication and unwavering commitment.”

She said while stations were previously put in categories which determined the services they offered, this has been adjusted given the state of emergency.

“Based on long-standing internal policy, police stations are categorised as A, B, or C class, which determines the scope of services that are provided from each station location.

“However, based on the high demand for policing nationwide, this policy was amended and all police stations were mandated to remain operational full-time, 24 hours each day, seven days per week.”

She said the internal security policies and protocols had been heightened amid the SoE, but stations will be open at all times.

“As we navigate through this critical period of the SoE, we are relying on the co-operation of the public as we work assiduously to dismantle the criminal networks. We therefore assure the public that our doors are always open and ready to receive vital information and render any required assistance to the public.”

She added if any member of the public encountered any difficulty in accessing a police station, they should call 736-TTPS.

SoE gamble

AFTER EIGHT hours of debate, Parliament on January 13 extended the state of emergency for three months. In doing so, both sides of the House have taken a gamble and made, in a general election year, a leap in the dark.

Available indicators suggest the emergency has already had an impact, even though it does not include a curfew.

The first weeks of 2025 saw 13 homicides. At this rate, murders are set to be less than half of what they were in January 2024. This significant drop aligns with previous emergencies, such as in 2011.

However, there is the risk that once the novelty wears off, the figures will go back up.

The Prime Minister’s concession that killings will not be eliminated, coupled with the positions adopted by his ministers during the sitting, suggests dangers ahead.

The Cabinet’s stance is that the emergency is a legal tool and was precipitated by narrow circumstances.

Yet, the threat to public safety addressed by it is both specific and diffuse.

With long-standing concerns about bad prison conditions returning to the fore, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds simply asserted certain facilities are “suitable for occupation.”

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young, meanwhile, defended the emergency regulations, saying the burden of proof has shifted under them.

But this all assumes police officers can arrest individuals to whom the law applies.

Dr Rowley’s statement that officers in “some districts” are “so afraid of the criminals that they close the police station” is not likely to motivate or boost morale. Police officers have been complaining about operating without the required complement for years. They have been asked to give up their leave.

Nor does the PM’s remark instil confidence in the population or inspire citizens to co-operate with these law enforcement officers.

In fact, the government risks angering police and antagonising a truly fearful population caught up in exercises in the coming weeks. All this in a year in which the ability of citizens to have a say will reach its zenith through the exercise of the franchise.

The opposition, too, having not raised objection at the vote (the PNM voted against the 2011 People’s Partnership emergency) is also taking a chance. UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar called for this measure previously. And in supporting it, the party continues its countering of a PNM narrative of opposition obstruction.

But should the UNC enter office after the next poll, it will face a situation in which emergencies are of diluted impact.

Indeed, that is the same risk faced by the entire country, unless crime is rooted out by deeper policies and not just attacked with a superficial legal cudgel, expiring in a few months’ time.

Tobago chamber urges PM to take action on cops hiding from criminals

THE Tobago Business Chamber is calling on the Prime Minister to “take some decisive action” after his startling claim in the Parliament on January 13 that police officers were hiding from criminals.

Leading off the debate in the House of Representatives on a motion to approve the basis on which the state of emergency (SoE) was declared on December 30, Dr Rowley revealed he had received reports of police stations being closed because officers are afraid of being attacked by criminals.

But in a video sent to the media via WhatsApp on January 14, the chamber’s chairman Martin George described the revelation as “alarming.”

“Policemen are hiding in police stations, turning off the lights and closing the doors because they are afraid to go out and confront the bandits and the criminals out there. Now that is one of the most alarming statements we have heard coming from the head of the National Security Council and in those circumstances, we would think that a more appropriate response would be that the head of the National Security Council would ensure that heads roll in light of this revelation.”

In an apparent reference to Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher, he said,“It cannot be that you sit there as the top of the executive of the TTPS and these things are occurring under your watch and there is no accountability or responsibility. I think it is clear that the Prime Minister has to take some decisive action in that regard.”

George said National Security Ministers Fitzgerald Hinds and Keith Scotland should also address the issue.

“We think that it also goes all the way up to the question of responsibility and the question of accountability from the Ministry of National Security and the two ministers who are assigned thereto.

“Because if the TTPS is under their purview, then it is a circumstance where it is clear that they ought to come forth and give some sort of explanation for this rather alarming scenario that the Prime Minister has spoken to because basically, you are saying that police officers are abdicating their duties and responsibilities. They are shirking their tasks. They are hiding from the criminals.”

“So if the police are hiding from the criminals, what does it leave for us, the ordinary citizens?” he asked.

George said it was “truly a despicable and deplorable state of affairs and we hope there will be some decisive action taken as a result.”

“Otherwise, it is clear that we want to continue doing the same things over and over and expect different results despite making no changes that are meaningful, substantial or sustainable.”

Police union head: Cops don’t feel safe in glass buildings

The president of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association (TTPSWA), ASP Gideon Dickson, has expressed concern over recent comments by the Prime Minister about police turning off lights and closing the doors to stations as a sign of being afraid of criminals.

He said some stations with glass frontage were a security risk to officers, as people could see inside when the lights were on at night.

On January 13, Dr Rowley spoke in Parliament during a motion on the extension of the state of emergency (SoE) that was declared on December 30.

He said from what he was told, in some districts, police have resorted to closing the doors and turning off the lights at their stations out of fear of criminals. He claimed officers stay inside, hoping the criminals do not come at them.

Dickson, however, found Rowley’s comments “startling, to say the least” and strongly disagreed with the characterisation.

The entrance to the Arima Police Station is primarly surrounded by glass. The police union says this poses a security risk at night.

Speaking to Newsday by phone on January 14, Dickson clarified that the practice of turning off lights and closing doors at some police stations has nothing to do with fear of criminals.

“We do not have that information. The lights being off and doors closed have nothing to do with the criminal elements. The lights are taken off because it is a security measure we adopt as an organisation,” Dickson said.

He explained that many police stations are in buildings surrounded by glass (some with tints), which helps with the humidity and temperature during the day, especially when the sun is out.

However, this creates safety concerns at night because those outside have an advantage when it comes to seeing inside.

He insisted that the lights were turned off at night not due to fear, but to avoid providing visibility for potential threats outside the building.

“In the night, that tint obscures the person inside’s vision. The people outside would have the upper hand in terms of seeing inside, especially if there is light inside,” Dickson said.

He explained that the decision to keep the doors closed was due to the need for air conditioning.

He said this is a “common practice” and not an indication of officers’ fear of criminal activity.

Dickson added, “If those doors are opened, some might accuse the police of abusing the facilities provided to them. Leaving doors open can cause a strain on the air-conditioning units.”

Saying the service is understaffed, Dickson added that officers are working hard despite the challenges.

“The public could do the assessment. There are 12 murders, and we are on 16 days of the SoE and 14 days of the year. This time, a year ago, two years ago, the numbers were higher. So things are happening,” he said.

“But we need to get our resources, our manpower up. We are nearing 1,500 officers short. I think the prime minister and the ministry (National Security) could do a lot more in terms of providing what is necessary for us to be sufficiently resourced.”

He renewed suggestions for SRPs to be absorbed into the regular police to strengthen the service, saying they already have the on-the-job experience.

“We are operating far from ideal. All we require is to be properly trained and sufficiently resourced.”

Calls to officials from the National Security Ministry went unanswered.

In response to the PM’s statement, CoP Erla Harewood-Christopher said it has “generated public commentary related to the operational readiness and courage of police officers in the discharge of their duty.”

She said that based on a long-standing policy police stations have three different categories, which determines the scope of services, based on their location.

The Arouca Police Station, one of many with glass frontage. Police say they turn off lights at night as a security measure. –

Harewood-Christopher said, “Based on the high demand for policing nationwide this policy was amended and all police stations were mandated to remain operational full-time, 24 hours each day, seven days per week.”

She said there are security protocols for police stations and those have been heightened during the SoE, without elaborating.

In October 2024, the Special Branch raised concerns about the safety of prosecutors at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Port of Spain if they occupied a glass building at Park and Henry Streets in the capital city.

The government spent $55 million on rent at the Park Street property since 2019, as well as on installing bulletproof windows.

However, due to ongoing security concerns – particularly because the building was located near the high-crime East Dry River area – the landlord ended the agreement, as police recommended additional security measures. The lease for the building was terminated in September 2023.

The DPP’s office is currently in the Winsure Building on Richmond Street, Port of Spain and a plan to relocate it to St Vincent Street is being considered.

In 2020, under then AG and Minister of Legal Affairs Faris Al-Rawi, a bullet from a long-range weapon pierced a window pane at the ministry at Government Campus Plaza in Port of Spain.

The bullet entered a window on the western side of the building on the third floor. It hit a cubicle nearby and lodged in it.

No one was injured.

‘Doctor Politics’ – Rowley style

THE EDITOR: Prof Lloyd Best coined the phrase “Doctor Politics” in the 1970s to describe the political shenanigans of the late Dr Eric Williams.

Over the last two weeks this country has witnessed Doctor Politics, Rowley style, at its worst.

It was manifestly apparent that the registered members of the PNM would not have supported Prime Minister Rowley’s “Gary Sobers,” Stuart Young, for political leader at the party’s 51st annual convention and internal election carded for November 17 last year.

In the face of the impending “run-out” of Young, Dr Rowley hastily abandoned the convention and election.

Soon thereafter, Ferdie Ferreira, a founding member of the PNM, voiced what is common knowledge within party circles – that Young is no favourite in the party. To quote Ferreira:

“There is a level of dissatisfaction, discomfort and disquiet among party members and officers over PM Rowley’s hint that Young is his possible replacement.

“It’s no secret there are quite a few members in the party – and prominent members – who are openly saying they would not support Stuart Young to succeed Rowley.”

On December 30 last year, against the run of play, after some four years of inertia in the sphere of crime-fighting, the government surprisingly declared a state of emergency (SoE), allegedly due to intelligence that there was impending criminal activity that posed a clear and present danger to public safety, and the government was acting decisively in the public interest to avert this danger to the citizenry.

The nation was thus plunged into as state of heightened alert, during which many of the enshrined guarantees under the Constitution are suspended.

The much anticipated press conference held, not as expected by the Prime Minister to whom the nation spontaneously endears in moments of national crisis, but by none other than Energy Minister Young assuming the role of acting Attorney General, with Reginald Armour, the substantive AG, conveniently out of the jurisdiction.

To imbue the fiction with an aura of legitimacy, the embattled Fitzgerald Hinds, ever the patsy, entered an appearance that was purely ceremonial and Young proceeded to weave a tale of perceived retribution by certain criminal elements in the country, sufficiently grave so as to pose a clear and present danger to public safety and by extension national security.

The naïve and unsuspecting public expressed a fleeting optimism that perhaps at long last the government had awoken from its slumber and was once and for all frontally tackling the criminal elements in the country.

However, the only purpose and intent of the SoE was to crush any intended protest over Young’s appointment by the PNM caucus in the egg before it hatched.

The PNM caucus, comprising the party’s MPs and senators, routinely convenes to select speakers for debates and for joint select committee meetings of Parliament. The caucus possesses no constitutional power to select or endorse a political leader, let alone a prime minister.

Young had the audacity to label members who were exercising their democratic right to vie for positions during the last PNM internal election as “pothounds,” even as he lacks the testicular fortitude to compete fairly in a leadership race in the very party of which he is chairman.

That Rowley would treat the party membership with such utter contumely, not even bothering to feign deference and respect concern for the time-honoured and hallowed party conventions as the only constitutional means by which the political leader is selected, but that he would dare to subvert the party’s democratic traditions under the pretext of furthering national security imperatives is unforgivable.

That a sitting prime minister could engineer such an outrage is, to say the very least, shocking.

This hoodwinking of the nation possesses all of the irony of Shakespearian tragedy, writ large, for within hours of the SoE being declared, special state prosecutor and attorney Randall Hector was gunned down as he left the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Stanmore Avenue in the nation’s capital in the wee hours of New Year’s Day.

Unsurprisingly, this calculated and brazen attack evoked no word of sympathy from either Hinds or Young, both of whom are themselves attorneys.

Since Hector’s brutal slaying, the murder rate continues to abound, giving the lie to the claim that the government implemented the SoE to tackle the criminal elements head-on.

Young, with Rowley’s blessings, is attempting to become prime minister by sleight of hand.

PETER AC TAYLOR

attorney, former legal affairs minister

PM: Police stations being closed for fear of criminals

THE Prime Minister says he has received reports of police stations being closed to the public because officers are afraid of being attacked by criminals.

He made this comment on January 13 as he opened debate on a motion in the House of Representatives to approve the grounds on which the state of emergency (SoE) was declared on December 30.

President Christine Kangaloo signed the proclamation on that day. Her statement outlining the reasons why she did so was laid in the House on January 13.

Kangaloo’s statement was made pursuant to section 9 (1) of the Constitution, which provides that within three days of her making the proclamation of the SoE, a letter will be delivered to Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George, outlining the grounds on which the SoE was declared.

The signed letter from Kangaloo to Annisette-George was dated December 1.

Kangaloo said she was advised by Cabinet on December 30 there had been 61 murders that month and 623 murders for the year at that time.

Cabinet, she continued, also advised her that over the preceding 14 days there had been an increase in the level of violent crimes, “leading to the death of individuals via the use of illegal firearms and in particular, firearms of high calibre, including, but not limited to automatic firearms which have lead to over 20 homicides in the past seven days.”

Kangaloo was advised that two days before December 30 of two serious criminal activities involving the use of illegal, high-powered firearms which endangered public safety.

The first was an attempt to kill a person suspected to be a criminal gang leader outside the Besson Street Police Station on December 28.

The second was the shooting of six people at Prizgar Lands, Laventille on December 29, with one person dying at the scene and four others later at hospital.

Kangaloo said police intelligence advised National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, who in turn advised the National security Council that criminals in East Port of Spain, Laventille and environs throughout the country “were likely to increase their brazen acts of violence in reprisal shootings on a scale so extensive that it threatens persons and will endanger public safety.”

The PM, as National Security Council chairman, advised Kangaloo about this.

Kangaloo said, “Having considered the information provided and given the above premises, I was satisfied that action has been taken, or is immediately threatened by a person, of such a nature and on so extensive a scale, as to be likely to endanger public safety, to the extent that warranted the declaration of a state of public emergency.”

Dr Rowley referred to this information as he debated the reasons why the SoE was declared.

He said anyone familiar with Trinidad and Tobago over the last 20 years would be aware of a minority of people engaging in violent crime.

But he added this problem has become worse in recent years.

“Persons see opportunities for profit or revenge on a daily basis and all they seem to have done is improve their killing machine.”

Rowley said this had happened over the lifetime of several governments and national security ministers.

He recalled the SoE called in 2011 by the UNC-led People’s Partnership coalition government was because 350 people were killed, and then 600 people were murdered in 2023.

Rowley said this was too many, given “the amount of effort, resources, dollars, policemen, security services, information gatherers. promotions galore and of course, the concerns of the citizens.”

Instead, he continued, crime has worsened.

“The cancer is spreading.”

Rowley was concerned the problem was reaching to the extent that the police were afraid of the criminals.

“It has come to my attention, in some districts, police officers, whose job it is to protect and secure, in some districts at night are so afraid of the criminals that they close the police station, turn off the lights and be inside there, hoping that the criminals don’t curse them,”

Rowley said that is not supposed to happen, but it happens.

He said crime is no longer confined to any particular area, nor does it affect any particular group of people.

He recalled one politician argued the way to reduce crime was to “castrate the males in Laventille.”

Rowley repeated crime has become a public health issue.

“The society has been under attack from a criminal element which we have not been able to suppress.”

He said this does not mean government has not been making efforts to do so.

“When you look at the resources we have directed to this problem, you ask yourself, if we had been able to escape this, what would we have done with the billions that we have directed to secure ourselves.

“What is more painful is that the more we spend on it, the more the criminals find opportunities to expand their enterprise.”

He added this is happening at all levels in society, with people recruiting “youngsters male and female, parents and cousins into criminal enterprise.”

Rowley said they are being helped by other corrupt people, and even if they are caught, continue their wickedness from the prison.

Criminals, he continued, believe they have the power to act with impunity and there will be no consequences to their actions.

“When they have an event, to conduct a killing, it is no longer killing of a person, it is an attempt to kill everybody within range.”

He repeated the intention of the SoE was to give law enforcement greater powers to act against criminals while not negatively affecting the economy and protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens.

In this regard, Rowley regretted a decision by two cruise lines not to come to Tobago because the SoE was in effect. He said there is no evidence in Tobago there is an SoE and it was unfortunate some people did not take time to understand what was happening.

Rowley also repeated his concern that “the rules that we have made and the laws that we have made, at the enforcement level, are not sufficiently rigorous to treat with the harshness and the cruelty of the criminals.”

The House later approved a three-month extension of the SoE.

PM: Lisa Morris-Julian a gift to Trinidad and Tobago

THE Prime Minister led members of the House of Representatives in paying tribute to D’Abadie/O’Meara MP Lisa Morris-Julian when it sat on January 13.

The sitting was the first for the year and since Morris-Julian and two of her children died in a fire at their Arima home on December 16.

A bouquet of white flowers and a lit candle were placed on Morris-Julian’s empty desk on the government’s benches.

All MPs, Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George and parliamentary staff wore white flowers on their clothes as a sign of respect for Morris-Julian.

In his tribute, Dr Rowley reflected on Morris-Julian as a person, school teacher, councillor, mayor, MP and government minister.

He said at her heart, Morris-Julian was a mother and found great joy in tending to the needs of the nation’s children in her role as minister in the Education Ministry.

“Outside of this House, she was a mother to thousands of children.”

Rowley said no one could doubt that Morris-Julian was passionate in what she believed in, and stood on principle.

While politics could bring out the worst in some people, he continued, Morris-Julian was someone who had no enemies in her political life.

“She was a gift to this Parliament, she was a gift to this nation and she was a gift to her family.”

Rowley lamented that all gifts have an end date.

“Lisa’s end date came too soon for all of us.”

Opposition Whip David Lee said all members of the House, regardless of their political affiliation, were united in their grief over Morris-Julian’s death.

He added Morris-Julian’s life and death underscored that family came first in everything that anyone did.

Annisette-George said when the House adjourned on December 9 before Christmas, she never imagined it would resume without Morris-Julian’s being present.

“While we are all aware of our own mortality, the death of a friend, family member, or colleague always comes as a shock, reminding us of the fragile and unpredictable nature of life.”

Annisette-George agreed with Rowley and Lee that Morris-Julian lived a life of distinction in whatever she did.

“She joined this Parliament in 2020, bringing with her a wealth of experience as a dedicated public servant to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, with a distinguished career in local government.”

Annisette-George told MPs she would forever remember the words Morris-Julian used in her last contribution in the House.

“I am a mother of children…I was not always a member of Parliament, I was not always a politician.”

Annisette-George said, “It was Lisa Morris-Julian the mother whose last moments involved a selfless act of courage and the natural sacrifice of motherhood.”

She added Morris-Julian was a “dear colleague to many, a mentor, a friend, a wife, a teacher, a mother and a daughter” who will be missed by everyone.

Later in the sitting, the House paid tribute to former Pointe-a-Pierre MP Bill Chaitan, who died last month. Chaitan was an MP from January 3, 2001-October, 9, 2001.

Diego Martin Central MP Symon de Nobriga, Lee and Annisette-George each paid tribute to him.

PNM MPs rally around Stuart Young

SEVERAL government MPs expressed support for Energy Minister Stuart Young being positioned to become prime minister on Dr Rowley’s exit from the post, speaking to reporters before the House of Representatives’ sitting on January 13.

MPs had voted 11/nine in favour of Young over Planning Minister Pennelope Beckles at a recent PNM parliamentary retreat in Tobago.

By January 12, at a news briefing chaired by Young and Minister of Youth Development Foster Cummings at Balisier House after the PNM General Council meeting, came word that all 21 PNM MPs had signed their support for Young as PM.

Talking to reporters outside the Red House, many PNM MPs also backed Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Amery Browne’s expected bid to become PNM candidate in Rowley’s Diego Martin West seat in the upcoming general election.

Toco/Sangre Grande MP Roger Monroe said, “My only thought at this time is that I am 100 per cent behind my colleague, the honourable Stuart Young. I back him as the next prime minister to be and he has my full support. He has the other members of the House support.

“We are definitely going to go into the general election with Stuart Young as our prime minister and will will definitely be the next government of Trinidad and Tobago, upon the 2025 election, with Stuart Young.”

Asked about Browne, Monroe said, “Excellent decision by another one of my esteemed colleagues. I must say that I would also pledge my full support when he is selected for the Diego Martin West seat. I know it may be a big shoe to fill, but I am sure he is very capable to do such.”

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, asked about the PNM leadership contest, said that should be put in the past and the focus should now be on moving forward.

“The issue of my personal support for Minister Young was never in doubt.

“We just wanted a particular process to be followed, the process was followed, the party is happy, my constituency is happy and we are moving forward.”

Asked about Browne, Deyalsingh said, “That is democracy in the party. Let us see what happens.”

Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said the PNM was not an ordinary party but an institution which rises to meet its challenges.

“We have an election to win, we have people to serve, we have a country to save, and that is the business of the PNM at this time.”

Reporters asked her views on Browne’s vying for Diego Martin West.

She said, “I think there may be a lot of contest for that seat, and I am wishing all who have put their hats in the ring all the best.”

She said as an MP she had gone through the nomination and screening process.

“And Dr Browne is an old hat at this. He has been around before, so I wish him the best and all other contenders.”

Laventille East/Morvant MP Adrian Leonce said, “Well, I am very happy that we were able to select someone to try to transition the party, moving forward.

“The PNM is a very strong and experienced party. I think we are a very stable party.

“I am proud – even though there may have been some slight bumps – I am proud that we could always prevail and show the country that there is stability, unity and trust among us.”

He denied suggestions the party would implode.

“Differences of opinion does not mean imploding or anything like that. Differences of opinion were expressed, which we are free to express.

“But the strongest part of it is that we as a party could come together and move forward because we understand the seriousness of the party and how it affects our country.”

Asked about Browne, Leonce said, “We are a party, and how our constitution is (is) that once a party group can nominate you, you then can appear before the screening committee to make a final decision.”

He promised to continue to support the PNM, the country and his community, even as he bows out as an MP.

Does economic strategy trump common sense?

THE EDITOR: This is an open letter to the Prime Minister.

It is accepted that a country’s growth depends on efficient institutions, such as government institutions that provide services to citizens and services that make the private sector effective and more competitive, resulting in increased trade, receipt of greater foreign exchange, and increased revenues.

This requires the attraction and retention of competent workers, a proper working environment and conditions. Competitive salaries is a prerequisite and motivation for successful implementation and operation of effective policies.

In addition, wise budgetary outlays in recognition that resources are not unlimited is basic, as exemplified by priority expenditure on basic goods and services, with the ministries of education, national security and health occupying high priority in respect of such allocations.

Subsidies and transfers are also crucial to maintain balance and provide for the less fortunate among us.

Given the above, I wish to make a few observations.

The first relates to the implementation of the Salaries Review Commission (SRC)’s recommendations.

Notwithstanding the long-term economic benefits of the recommendations, one ought to consider that the low-income individual, like the highly skilled, high-income individual, has to face the same grocery and market prices. They therefore cannot see sense in supporting a party that supports higher salaries for people already in receipt of higher salaries while they must settle for a significantly lower per cent increase.

You may be reminded that the PNM has always identified with low-income workers and efforts to raise their standard of living through the expansion of public-sector work, the imposition of an unemployment levy, as well as the maintenance of a progressive income tax regime, which all allow for increases in subsidies and disability and unemployment relief programmes. To change this view would be to distance the party from its base.

Secondly, the cap placed on qualifying savings of less than $25,000 for access to the senior citizens grant, even though this was deemed to be an error, was severely frowned upon.

I wish to remind the authorities that whereas the grant is being abused, seniors are concerned with providing for their funeral arrangements. And the cost of a decent funeral far exceeds $25,000. Therefore, other measures must be found to address the abuse.

There is also the feeling that you tend to pander to the rich, preferring their company, and your favourite hobby on the greens adds fuel to this feeling. You are additionally accused of saying “I would like the rich to get richer so that they can help the poor.”

It is an accepted economic policy that the rich have a higher propensity to save than the poor, leading to investment, but this is mainly because the rich receive higher incomes and therefore have more to save, while the poor spends most of their income on their basic needs. Further, there is no belief among the poor that such a policy benefits them.

The introduction of a state of emergency without restrictions may be considered a positive move by your support base.

There is the popular view that undecided voters, mainly the middle-income, affect the outcome of elections. However, there is also the view that disaffected voters who withhold their support are just as crucial in deciding outcomes of elections.

The crime scourge, retention of the current Commissioner of Police and your government’s inability to manage our safety may be the loudest criticism of your leadership, but money issues can have the most telling effect on your support base.

It is therefore critical that you think again on whether sound economic policies can trump the common thinking of the ordinary man and woman.

D THOMAS

Port of Spain

Dookeran: Leadership succession must be complete, unambiguous

FORMER politician Winston Dookeran says there must be clarity with respect to leadership succession in any political party.

He also said it was not a case of one size fits all, and many factors affected the way leadership succession took place.

Dookeran, a former UNC and Congress of the People (COP) political leader, expressed these views on January 12 on the Prime Minister’s announcement on January 3 that he planned to resign from this post and as PNM political leader too.

His views also included Dr Rowley’s announcement on January 6 that the PNM’s parliamentary caucus had chosen Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young to succeed him as prime minister.

After the PNM General Council meeting on January 11, party general secretary Foster Cummings said 20 PNM MPs had pledged their support for Young.

Cummings added Rowley remained PNM leader and there was no vacancy in that office.

On January 6, Rowley said the party would hold its annual convention on September 28 and a new leader would be elected then.

In a WhatsApp comment, Dookeran said, “Leadership succession in our party system must be complete and unambiguous.”

The process, he continued, may take time with sequencing, each case being unique to the situation.

“As such, it would be better to have both offices in one person in our electoral system.

“In my experience, the separation did not work when I was duly elected – on invitation – as political leader of the UNC but not (the opposition leader) in Parliament. The story is known, and the COP was formed.”

In October 2005, Dookeran succeeded Basdeo Panday as UNC political leader after being nominated unopposed by Panday .

But Panday retained the post of opposition leader and became UNC chairman.

Dookeran was unable to function as UNC leader, with the party’s national executive dominated by members loyal to Panday. He subsequently resigned as UNC leader, left the party and formed the COP.

Dookeran said, “Timing and honour are crucial to seamless leadership succession.”

But the process of succession is not the only thing that matters in leadership change.

“Political opportunities are not circumscribed by process alone; there are other factors at play in a complex democratic change.”

Hinds: People becoming more enlightened on public matters

NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds says the majority of the population understands there is no controversy connected to the Prime Minister’s decision to resign his post and as PNM political leader.

He attributed this to people becoming better educated on public affairs and less likely to fall for the attempts of others to mislead them.

Hinds spoke in a radio interview on i95.5FM on January 12, the day after the PNM General Council met to discuss Dr Rowley’s intention to resign as prime minister and party leader.

He said he was used to commentary in the media on important issues being uninformed and being used to create fluff and bacchanal.

But in the last week, Hinds said, he was impressed with the level of maturity in the public discourse about what was involved in prime ministerial and political leadership succession.

He said many people were actively referring to the Constitution when it came to the powers of the President and the way a prime minister was chosen.

Hinds attributed this in part to people becoming more educated and an increasing number of avenues where information can be found and objectively assessed.

He said the developments had “helped to enlighten the people of TT.”

Hinds added that it augured well for the population being able to properly understand the facts of matters before them and not fall victim to the agendas of uninformed or mischievous people.

“We are not dealing with the same quality of operation now as existed or subsisted in 1995.”

On January 11, after the PNM’s General Council meeting at Balisier House, Port of Spain, party general secretary Foster Cummings said all PNM MPs had committed their support to Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young as the next prime minister.

The General Council discussed Rowley’s intention to retire from electoral politics before the end of the legal life of the government, Young to succeed him as prime minister and the party to hold a convention in September to elect a new political leader.

On January 9, the PNM’s central executive had met to discuss matters related to Rowley’s intention to resign.

On January 3, Rowley announced his intention to retire from electoral politics and promised a smooth transition after he resigned as prime minister and PNM political leader.

At a news conference on January 6, he said the PNM’s parliamentary caucus of elected MPs had selected Young to succeed him as prime minister.

At the time, the vote was split 11 in favour of Young and nine for Arima MP Pennelope Beckles-Robinson.

While not giving a definite date for his resignation, Rowley says he should be finished with his last official duties, including a Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Barbados, well before Carnival.

Selection of a PM

THE selection of a prime minister is determined by Section 76 of the Constitution.

Section 76 (1) (a) states the President will appoint as prime minister “a member of the House of Representatives who is the Leader in that House of the party which commands the support of the majority of members of that of that House.”

Section 76 (1) (b) states where the President finds the political party with the majority in the House does not have an undisputed leader, or that no party commands the support of a majority, the President appoints the member who in his or her judgement “is most likely to command the support of the majority of members of that House.”

Neither of these situations applies in this case, with all 21 government MPs supporting Young.

The government has 21 MPs in the House now, after the death of D’Abadie/O’Meara MP Lisa Morris-Julian in December.

Whenever Rowley resigns as prime minister, a letter will be sent to President Christine Kangaloo indicating that Young commands the majority support among government MPs and should be appointed prime minister.

Once that happens, Young will be sworn into office.

Role of PNM political leader

ARTICLE 19 of the PNM’s constitution says the political leader “shall be responsible to the party for the execution of its political affairs.”

When the political leader executes this responsibility he shall act in consultation with the PNM’s chairman, vice-chairman, lady vice-chairman, the deputy political leaders and the general secretary. This group comprises the political leadership of the party.

The PNM’s annual convention is the forum where elections are held for all the party’s executive posts, including political leader. This is done by secret ballot, using a one-man-one-vote system.

The general council usually holds the convention in September, but Article 17 gives give the council the discretion, for good reason, to summon it earlier.

Article 18 says the political leader is one of five executive posts with a tenure of four years. The others are chairman, vice-chairman, general secretary and Tobago council political leader.

Should any of these office-holders resign or be removed at a convention before the end of their term, someone must be elected to replace them.

Rowley has said the PNM will hold its annual convention on September 28 and he will not be party leader when his term legally expires in 2026.

He has been political leader since 2010 and was re-elected in the PNM’s last internal elections in 2022.

Young will have to resign as PNM chairman to contest the political leader’s post.

Should he remain chairman and no other members offer themselves as political leader, it is possible one of the PNM’s three deputy leaders could serve as interim political leader.

PNM MPs Colm Imbert, Rohan Sinanan and Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly are the current deputy leaders.

MPs Pennelope Beckles-Robinson and Foster Cummings were believed to be potential leadership contenders, Both are among the MPs supporting Young to succeed Rowley as prime minister.

Le Hunte throws support behind Young for PM

FORMER People’s National Movement (PNM) vice-chairman Robert Le Hunte says Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young has his full support to succeed Dr Keith Rowley as prime minister.

He made this comment on January 12, the day after party general secretary Foster Cummings said 20 PNM MPs had committed their support to Young as the next prime minister.

The PNM General Council discussed Rowley’s intention to retire from electoral politics before the end of the legal life of the government, Young to succeed him as prime minister and the party to hold a convention in September to elect a new political leader, at its regular monthly meeting at Balisier House, Port of Spain on January 11.

On January 9. the PNM’s central executive met to discuss matters related to Rowley’s intention to resign as prime minister and political leader.

In a WhatsApp comment, Le Hunte said, “I will continue to work in the interest of the party and the country and wish Mr Young success as he gets set to lead the government.”

Le Hunte previously suggested the party hold its convention in March to to elect a new political leader and by extension prime minister.

He and some party members believed the best strategy was for the convention to elect Rowley’s successor as political leader through the one-man-one-vote system and the PNM would rally around this person, who could ultimately be elected prime minister.

While he and other ordinary members felt their voices should have been heard in the process and their vote matters, Le Hunte said the General Council took a different view.

“In that respect, one has to accept the decision, even if you don’t agree with it. This is democracy at work.”

As a PNM member for decades, Le Hunte reaffirmed his commitment to it.

“I know it is the best political vehicle to take the country forward.”

On January 3, Rowley announced his intention to retire from electoral politics and promised a smooth transition after he resigned as prime minister and party leader.

At a news conference on January 6, Rowley said the PNM’s parliamentary caucus of elected MPs had selected Young to succeed him as prime minister. Government ministers who are senators were ineligible to vote.

The vote was split 11 in favour of Young and nine for Arima MP Pennelope Beckles-Robinson.

Rowley, who has been PNM leader since 2010, was re-elected in 2022, when he defeated former government minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira in that year’s internal elections.

His term as leader officially ends in 2026, but he made it clear he intends to resign soon as PM. He has also said he does not intend to offer himself as a candidate for the general election.

While not giving any definitive date for his resignation, Rowley says he should be done and finished with his last remaining official duties, including attending a Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Barbados, well before Carnival.

That PNM Rowley-Young saga

Beneath the political noise and PNM confusion over the Prime Minister’s proposed appointment of Stuart Young, SC, as PM, the question must be asked: Who really caused all this?

It is political leader Dr Rowley’s miscalculation: he put the cart too far before the horse.

Why doesn’t Dr Rowley actually step down as political leader and let the PNM do its business correctly?

In fact, the PNM is now telling Dr Rowley no one man is bigger than the venerable 70-year-old party. Former minister Robert Le Hunte reportedly urged PNM MPs “to stand their ground and not be bullied by Rowley.”

Quite a historic declaration. Former PNM minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, with equal courage, has insisted Dr Rowley cannot be allowed to bypass the party’s constitution by prematurely proposing Young as PM.

Further, more confusion yet. Dr Rowley has UNC Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the country guessing and unsettled about the exact date for the next election.

Why can’t Dr Rowley give the date? This very permissive section in the Constitution should be reviewed.

Back to the Young vs Pennelope Beckles political bout (11-9) for PM. Both Baptiste-Primus and Le Hunte are right – follow the party’s constitution for appointing a political leader and properly satisfy section 76(a) of the country’s Constitution.

Strictly speaking, Section 76(a) caters for an MP to be PM who is the political leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives. Young is not.

But even so, there is no vacancy yet. Dr Rowley is still there.

So an over-confident Rowley, obviously on advice from an “inner circle,” based his political adventure on sub-section (b) of section 76: that is, the President must choose “the member of the House of Representatives who, in his judgement, is most likely to command the support of the majority of member of that House.”

That is a majority of 21 of 40 (one MP tragically died).

I have a layman’s concern with the loose language of section 76(b). Shouldn’t there be a formal statutory count and submission to the President to help validate three phrases in 76(b)?

1.“where it appears to him”

2. “in his judgement”

3. “is most likely.”

Suppose the President “where it appears to him” and “in his judgment” appoints an MP who really does not reliably “command the support of the majority of members”? Sending a formal letter with signatures is ok, but it should be a statutory requirement, and clearly stated so in section 76.

Would the apparent anomaly over Young as PM give President Christine Kangaloo a big, unexpected headache? Maybe not.

A “yet-to-be-cleared up” precedent was set in 1981 when, after Dr Eric Williams’s death, George Chambers was appointed PM by Sir Ellis Clarke and afterwards quickly elected political leader by the PNM in May 1981. That really wasn’t smooth sailing, though. Sir Ellis had to explain why he didn’t select as PM the veterans Kamaluddin Mohammed or Errol Mahabir.

The party wouldn’t want that, explained Sir Ellis. But many people grumbled.

You see, Chambers was a bird-catching, grassroots man too.

In this Rowley-backed Young move, tongues are also wagging behind closed doors or in titillating leaks. Or is the PNM prepared, with PM Young, to make a historic ethnic leap into the future? Make Young a grassroots man, hoping in the end he will be “his own man” and even be as modest, amiable and broad-minded as Pennelope Beckles?

He will have a lot of cleaning up to do after Dr Rowley, especially with crime.

But where is engineer-turned-finance-minister Colm Imbert? Imbert has stoutly faced so many blows and political pressure for ten years. What did he do so?

With this and Beckles’ one foot still in the door, will Young deal be really settled? Yesterday’s General Council’s no-doubt-spirited deliberations may provide a clue.

The make-or-break question now is this: Will the PNM officials and members hurriedly close ranks, support a weakened Rowley and legitimise 50-year-old Stuart Richard Young as PNM political leader? Well-travelled with and very close to Dr Rowley as Minister in the PM’s Office, there should really be no big surprise about Young’s promotion.

That is how party politics works. Loyalty to the leader trumps almost everything, for obvious reasons.

So far, Young has got a fair measure of support, particularly from the business sector.

But all this will be a long story especially with Amery Browne, Foster Cummings and Faris Al-Rawi around.

Young a wise choice

THE EDITOR: We should get on board and applaud the excellent choice of MP Stuart Young for prime minister. Dr Rowley in his wisdom would have been guided by his close-up and personal observation of Young diligently at work on the business of TT, and so feels obligated to usher Young into the position at this time for the betterment of the country.

Given his academic qualifications and experience as an accomplished attorney, also his political tenure in sensitive positions of government (National Security, Office of Attorney General, Office of the PM, Minister of Energy, etc), he is well positioned to excel as prime minister, all while still being relatively young. Also, coming from a family with solid business acumen is quite useful.

Young is probably the most knowledgeable of our representatives in dealing with Venezuela, which has the gas needed as a fulcrum for leveraging future prosperity for TT. On that basis alone he is probably the best man for the job.

His diplomacy in dealing with international leaders in both government and industry has already been tested and proven beneficial for TT.

True to form, the opposition opposes the move, while offering no credible alternative, in yet another show of its obsession with obstructing any and all steps to improve the lot of TT. Even to the extent of suppressing talent within its own ranks, to the detriment of TT’s progress.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so the opposition should look to strengthen its position if only to be a robust link in the chain of leadership that’s needed to advance the affairs of our country.

Thank you, Dr Rowley, for your outstanding 45 years plus of service to TT.

May the gods bless you and your family even as you make putts on the golf greens and walk barefooted on the beaches while enjoying your years in retirement.

KIRT MCCALL

Las Lomas

Ragoonath: PNM phone lines buzzing ahead of general council meeting

POLITICAL analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath was not underestimating the importance of the PNM General Council meeting called for January 11 and felt that until that time the phones of many PNM activists would be constantly buzzing with factional interests seeking to lobby and persuade ahead of expected discussion on the succession to the Prime Minister.

He spoke to Newsday on January 10.

Recently Dr Rowley held a retreat in Tobago where Energy Minister Stuart Young edged Planning Minister Pennelope Beckles by 11/nine votes to become TT’s next PM, who is chosen as commanding most MPs, under the Constitution (section 76(1)).

While Rowley is proposing first to establish a new PM, then have the PNM fight the general election, and then let the party choose a leader, Ragoonath suggested the general council could exert some sway in the process of choosing a new PM, even though its legal authority extends only to choosing a political leader.

“If the general council meeting admonishes Keith Rowley and says he agreed to serve as PM and just can’t walk away from being PM, then he could simply come back the next day and advise the President to dissolve Parliament.”

Saying Rowley would have 90 days between dissolving Parliament and holding a general election, Ragoonath speculated that within that period the PNM could hold a convention to vote for a new leader to take it into the election, if he decides he is really retiring.
“Those are all options.”

He generally anticipated a general election being held in July or August.

“This projection, however, does not take into consideration what will happen tomorrow (January 11).

“If the general council puts a squeeze on Keith Rowley and says no, you cannot project Stuart Young as the leader, they could force his hand.

“They could also ask him tomorrow to give them a clear timetable as to what are his plans in terms of retirement and they could push for a convention before the general election.
“We really don’t know how this is going to play out tomorrow.”

Ragoonath expressed respect for the general council.

“I am almost certain that today there is a heavy level of lobbying by the Keith Rowley administration to general council members to kind of get them to vote in a particular way tomorrow. But as it stands right now, we really have to wait and see whether general council will stand up against Keith Rowley tomorrow based on calls made by Ferdie Ferreira, Robert Le Hunte and Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, or whether the general council will collapse and give in to Keith Rowley.”

Ragoonath reckoned the general council would ask Rowley when he would resign as PNM leader and whether the party would fight the general election with him as party leader and Young as prime minister.

“Bearing in mind we are going into an election, are we going to have a dual-headed leadership?

“Stuart Young will be prime minister, but what happens to the PNM, and who leads the PNM into the election?

“He (Rowley) cannot hand-pick someone and tell him he will lead the PNM, so my question is, was it his plan for Stuart Young to be PM, and who will be political leader and lead the party into an election?”

Ragoonath said if Rowley led the PNM into the election, he would not be a candidate nor expect to be the next prime minister.

“So that is where the general council has to pull the (PNM) Constitution and tell him ‘We have no problem with you getting your 21 MPs and putting Stuart Young as PM, but the PNM has an election to fight and who is leading the PNM into this election?'”

Newsday asked whether Rowley’s thinking was that if the PNM won the election under Young as prime minister, he would likely then be unopposed to become party leader.

Ragoonath replied, “But flip it. If he (Young) leads the party and the party loses, then are we getting rid of both Rowley and Young at the same time? The convention will say, ‘Are we going to vote for a person who just led us into a defeat in the election?'”

Ragoonath also considered a situation where the PNM wins the general election under Young.

“Once he gets an electoral victory and as prime minister, there is no moving him. That cements his position (as PNM leader).”

Duke tells PM: Learn from my mistakes

PROGRESSIVE Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke has warned the Prime Minister about making the same “mistakes” he did by endorsing the wrong person.

Duke was speaking in a video posted to his social media page on January 6, moments after the Prime Minister announced that the People’s National Movement (PNM) caucus had chosen Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young as his replacement.

On January 3 Dr Rowley announced that he will retire from electoral politics after 45 years. Rowley later added that he would be resigning before the end of his term of office.

The government held a retreat at a private villa, Plantations, Lowlands, Tobago, on January 5 and 6, where a vote was taken to decide who will take the prime ministerial reins.

According to reports, PNM MPs voted 11-9 in favour of Young over Arima MP Pennelope Beckles-Robinson.

Rowley reportedly abstained.

Speaking to the media on January 6, Rowley gave a glowing endorsement of Young, the Minister of Energy.

He said Young has “distinguished himself” in the last ten years in working on a number of detailed and technical assignments.

“I have no doubt that Minister Young’s experience, dedication and commitment to the people of TT, will ensure that (during) the period he has the responsibility for being Prime Minister, he will continue to put the people of TT’s interest first,” Rowley said.

But Duke, a former Public Services Association (PSA) leader, believes Young is not the right person for the job. He told Rowley endorsing the wrong individual has consequences.

He said, “I am speaking to the PM and those who are listening. I, Watson Solomon Duke, put God out of my thoughts and think I could trust mankind and I trusted the current leader of the PSA (Leroy Baptiste) with office in 2021, December. I was betrayed.

“(I) have to now turn around and fight for my survival. I can’t speak to them, they not listening.”

In June 2024 Duke sued the PSA over payment of a pension.

“You cannot appoint someone to power and then try to direct them. Once someone seizes power based on your recommendation, that’s it. You now will have to obey and follow that power.”

He also cited his endorsement of former PDP deputy leader Farley Augustine for Chief Secretary in the 2021 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections. Duke and Augustine had a public spat in 2022 over alleged lack of funding for the Roxborough Folk Performers’ trip to New York.

Duke later resigned as Deputy Chief Secretary and Augustine stepped down from his PDP post.

Augustine and the rest of the THA executive council later formed their own political party, the Tobago People’s Party. After winning the December 2021 THA elections 14-1, Duke is now the sole PDP representative in the assembly.

Duke said, “Today, Mr Rowley, when you speak to Stuart Young, your wish, your counsel, your advice is likened to a command.

“Tomorrow, when Stuart Young becomes PM, your wish, your advcie, your counsel comes like nothing. It’s one out of a thousand advice (he is getting).

“I did the same thing in the THA where I said, ‘Farley, you go ahead.’

“I put God out of my thoughts. Big mistake. I regret it to this day.

“My point is, you have not been down this road before. When you have power, everybody will smile with you. You will not know the real from the deep fakes.”

Duke also claimed Young does not understand the plight of the poor black man.

He said he was surprised to see “a black party” vote for Young, when in Trinidad and Tobago “there is race when it comes to voting.”

He said, “You vote along ethnic lines, and then you have the conscious voter who votes on issues.

“So for the masses who go along ethnic lines, when you replace a black leader with someone of Chinese descent, it’s a message that you are sending to the population that is 50 per cent black – you are saying to them that this is now your leader.”

Duke, the electoral representative for Roxborough/Argyle, said black identity is being eroded daily with negativity such as crime and poverty.

“Is this the best way you would have answered the problem of the black man? The Prime Minister once said that black people are not doing so well in the economy; tell me, is this the panacea, where you would put a man of Chinese descent, albeit Trinidadian, to lead the black party?

“I think this is a regressive move, after such a progressive move of saying you’re gonna resign.”

Duke said has no personal issue with Young, saying he is academically strong, has a strong personality and is “a man on the ground.”

However, he questioned whether the party’s grassroots supporters would support him.

“I think it’s a poor move.

“If you’re looking to improve the fortunes of someone. I think you would want to find someone whose employment history speaks of small sums of money, someone who is a struggler, someone who made it up through the ranks.

“Stuart Young is not one of those guys who made it up through the ranks. He grew up in maybe a better place than many persons of African descent.

“He may not know what hunger is like; he may not know what going to the general hospital is like; he may not know what not having money to buy medication is like; he may not know when the old-age pension come late the whole house not eating…

“How are you gonna put someone who is out of touch with the black man’s reality?”

Duke advised Rowley to call the election whenever he decides to demit office.

“Let the people of TT choose their PM. Let them hear his representation, his arguments; let them see his team and let them choose their PM.”

Reflections on Rowley’s imminent departure

THE EDITOR: In my New Year’s address, I called for a seamless generational transfer of leadership in TT – a critical step towards tapping into the wealth of intellectual, ethical, transformational, business, and political talent that resides in our youth.

For too long the entrenched culture of political leadership in this country has stifled fresh ideas and innovation, with leaders holding on to power long after their relevance has waned.

This stagnation has cost our nation dearly. It has prevented us from leveraging the creativity and dynamism of younger generations while fostering a political culture resistant to change.

Too often our leaders hold on to power way past their expiry dates, departing politics sadly either in ignominy or in a casket, leaving behind an unplanned vacuum of leadership. This unfortunate narrative has been the hallmark of TT’s political history since 1956.

In light of this, I commend Prime Minister Rowley for his decision to step down from active politics.

He heeded my suggestion and did the right thing by announcing his imminent departure from local politics. His announcement reflects an acknowledgement of the need for change – a departure from the status quo that should serve as an example to all political leaders in our country.

This moment marks a pivotal opportunity to reshape our political landscape and foster a culture of planned, deliberate, and transparent succession.

If he is to truly put the country first, he must focus on engineering a leadership transition that prioritises the national interest above partisan politics. Such a process must be guided by meritocracy, transparency, and inclusivity, ensuring that the best and brightest are identified and supported to take the reins of the PNM among the many contenders.

If Dr Rowley succeeds in instituting a fair, transparent, and consultative process, he will leave a legacy far greater than any policy initiative – a legacy that normalises the concept of succession planning within our political culture.

At this historic juncture, I also call upon all political leaders to reflect deeply on the implications of this announcement. Leadership is about making tough decisions, often placing the greater good above personal ambition.

It is my hope that they will all recognise the importance of this moment and take the necessary steps to ensure that parties position themselves for renewal and progress.

As a nation, we must embrace the ethos of generational renewal as a cornerstone of our democracy. It is only by fostering a culture that values fresh ideas, bold visions, and transformational leadership that we can rise above the challenges we face and build a brighter future for all citizens.

Rowley’s announcement is a step in the right direction. It is now up to all of us to seize this moment and advocate for the political reform and renewal our nation so desperately needs.

The time for change is now, and it starts with each of us committing to a new vision for TT.

RODNEY CHARLES

Naparima MP