Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says he’ll be taking careful note of how many people want him to remain as People’s National Movement leader.
And he’s also taking a small wager that somewhere in the Leaders in Service (LIS) group, “or very close to this group,” will be the PNM’s leadership in the next few years.
Rowley spoke about the matters at Thursday’s LIS meeting at Caroline Building, Scarborough, Tobago. The group is bidding to become the PNM’s executive in internal polls on November 26-27 and December 4.
Saying that PNM demonstrates stability, Rowley said there were three groups leading teams in the election and there was no problem, since on December 4 it will be settled one way or another.
On the election, Rowley added, “It will be my decision to take careful note of how many people want me to remain. So, I ask you for your support if you think I’m the best choice. If not, leadership emerges and if you don’t believe me, ask the Republican party in America, all kinda leaders emerge, not necessarily successfully.”
Rowley noted that very early, he’d said he wasn’t putting up a slate.
“I didn’t say I’m not associated with a slate,” he stressed.
He said that was because if he had a slate, most candidates would have been unopposed, as there might have been a sentiment that was the leader’s slate and couldn’t be beaten and people may not have participated.
Rowley added, “But that’s not what’s called for at this time of transition (that PNM’s in), it’s called for the ‘cream to rise to the top’ on its own strength.
“It means let me see who genuinely wants to serve PNM and has what it takes to come out and stand up and say they’d like to offer themselves. And that is the person you really want. As a result, tonight we’ve presented the future of the PNM.”
He added, “I’m not a betting man but sometimes I could take a small wager and I’d take a small wager that somewhere in the group that was presented here tonight, or very close to this group, is the leadership of the PNM in the next four to five, six, seven years.
“And it wouldn’t have been hand-picked by me the outgoing political leader ... they came up individually and alone, some surprisingly so,.... they come from all over T&T.”
Saying that included San Fernando, Rowley added, “San Fernando people always in PNM - there’s no PNM without San Fernando.”
Noting that he’d been the political leader for 12 years and on the Government job for seven years, Rowley said after the December 4 convention, “I intend to take a vacation next year as I’m allowed a month’s vacation... I haven’t taken any for seven years. I’m taking one next year—at least one. Because I know I’ll be leaving the party and country in good hands.”
He said he hadn’t planned to go beyond 2020 but had changed this position due to a certain situation (C BOX).
Rowley said that at this time, PNM is in transition.
“And as usual, the feisty people of Tobago take the lead.”
Noting Tobago’s THA election, he said they’d taken the lead to create the leadership of the future in Tobago “by voting out everybody who was there for a long time—clean, clean clean.”
He noted PNM Tobago’s current young leadership—Tobago Council leader Ancil Dennis and THA Minority leader Kelvon Morris.
“So, Tobago business fix as regards leadership going forward, fixed by the people of Tobago, they didn’t even ask PNM to fix it.”
Noting the PNM’s General Council and Central Executive had broadened the election days to November 26-27 to allow voters who don’t attend the December 4 convention, he added, “...We end up in the courthouse!”