For all intents and purposes, Pennelope Beckles can now write her name in the local history books as the first woman to hold both the post of Opposition Leader and that of political leader of the 69-year-old People’s National Movement (PNM).
Firsts aside, however, she faces the same uphill task as the last two leaders of the party.
Like Dr Keith Rowley and Patrick Manning, who went before her, Beckles is taking on the challenge of leading a party divided and depleted after a comprehensive electoral loss.
Beckles, nominated unopposed as political leader ahead of the party’s upcoming internal polls, is not guaranteed unanimous support from the PNM’s rank and file. In fact, recent social media rumblings suggest the PNM remains deeply fragmented after the April 28 General Election that swept it from office and the unpopular leadership decisions that preceded the national ballot.
As she awaits the internal elections on June 22 that will determine key executive positions in the party, the incoming political leader faces simmering internal divisions and critiques over leadership style and policy direction.
Building a cohesive team with the executive officers that will be elected later this month is crucial for forging a future for the PNM based on a renewed vision.
For that difficult task, Beckles can take cues from the two political leaders she served under after she joined the party in 1991.
Manning, unexpectedly dropped into the leadership position as one of only three PNM representatives left standing after the dramatic election defeat of 1986, faced shifting voter expectations and a changing political landscape when he began rebuilding that party after it came perilously close to being wiped off the electoral map.
He brought in fresh faces, including Rowley, who later succeeded him as political leader, and built a team that was able to regain political power just five years later.
Following the PNM’s 2010 defeat to the People’s Partnership, Rowley also faced the task of remaking the party to respond adeptly to a changing electorate and evolving political realities.
In addition to revamping the PNM’s internal mechanics, he sought to build support beyond its traditional base, reaching out to younger voters, the business community, and other segments of society.
Now the baton has been passed to Beckles to transform the PNM into a more flexible and inclusive party. Under her leadership, if the party does not evolve, it will be further alienated from its base.
She can use lessons learnt from previous electoral crises and leadership transitions to build a responsive, agile political force that is in tune with 21st-century social and political expectations.
At the same time, as the first woman at the PNM’s helm, she must focus on inclusivity as envisioned by the party’s founder, Dr Eric Williams. His initiatives in the early days to ensure a place for women at the decision-making table eventually evolved into the PNM Women’s League.
Therefore, Beckles should include gender-responsive policies and internal reforms, along with streamlined decision-making processes that are essential to regain grassroots support.
Another important priority for the new political leader is establishing more transparent mechanisms for leadership succession.
These goals must be achieved sooner rather than later, as the PNM has roughly five years to rebrand itself as a proactive political force that has learnt from its internal missteps. In that limited time, Beckles must demonstrate that she is the strong, visionary leader the party needs.
