The 49th Caricom Heads of Government conference held from July 6-8 in Jamaica was not attended by Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar. It would have been her first opportunity to reassert her brand of Trini woman power in the region since regaining the position she last held in 2015.
Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Sean Sobers and Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander substituted for her. Minister Sobers explained that the PM’s absence was due to “pressing national matters” but provided no details. Former minister of Foreign Affairs, Opposition Senator Amery Browne, suggested that Trinidad and Tobago lost the opportunity to participate in a free movement arrangement devised by Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St Vincent & the Grenadines.
The Caricom heads of government signed the Montego Bay Declaration, which reinforced regional cooperation and intelligence sharing in combating transnational organised crime. The support of Interpol and the OAS in the deliberations was a key takeaway in Caricom’s recommitment to the CSME, as well as regional security. Would our Prime Minister’s absence be interpreted as a lack of interest in Caricom or their new initiatives? Were the brand-new ministers able to give adequate representation of our Government’s Foreign and Security policies?
I believe that Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar respects Caricom and that she would have endorsed the Montego Bay Declaration. I am also certain that she will repose confidence in her UNC deputy political leaders by selecting one of them to act as prime minister when next she has to advance T&T’s standing in a global leadership forum.
In a return to the UNC’s Monday Night Forum last week, PM Persad-Bissessar, leader of the ruling UNC, announced that she will be calling elections for the position of political leader. That election was due in June according to the UNC’s constitution. Its delay is understandable given the recent General Election and the subsequent settling in of the new UNC Government. PM Persad-Bissessar is the winning political leader, and no one in their right mind will challenge her. As such, she will be reelected, unopposed.
However, we will have an idea about PM Persad-Bissessar’s succession planning when she next leaves the country. Perhaps she will stand again in GE2030. It is doubtful that she will follow former PM Dr Keith Rowley’s losing playbook of foisting a successor outside of internal party elections. In the meantime, anyone interested in succeeding her as the leader of her party should be busy convincing the nation that they are the best MP and minister.
We must not forget the 100,000 would-be PNM voters who abstained in GE2025. I am certain that the losing example of the deposed PNM leadership has taught a valuable lesson to the UNC. The UNC’s Natex elections are due next year, though. Now that will be a far more interesting proposition. The convergence of the UNC political leadership and Natex elections in 2028 will be even more compelling.
The UNC Government must beware of the renewed PNM and the sleeping 100,000, some of whom may have been stirred by the recent CEPEP and Forestry firings. In Opposition, sometimes all that a political party does (or can do) is plot the downfall of the government.
Last Friday, the Women’s Parliamentarians of T&T (WPTT) hosted the second cohort of the YES Leadership Debate series. The young ladies were put through a rigorous three months of intense training and mentorship, as they prepared to debate a motion on human trafficking. I was pleased once more to be part of the YES Leadership team, as we guided them through to their impressive simulated parliamentary debate on this important issue. WPTT will continue to work in the best interests of our women and girls, with our main goal being that of achieving equal participation of our women in political leadership. As the prime exemplar of women’s leadership, I urge our Prime Minister to encourage her MPs and ministers to join and actively participate in WPTT.
President Christine Kangaloo, the patron of the WPTT, recently opined that criticism was levelled at her and the Independent Senators she appointed due to her gender. I don’t share the President’s view here. Some of the criticism she received has come from UNC members. I doubt PM Persad-Bissessar will permit misogynistic messaging from within her Government and party. Opinions were shared by some who perceived political bias by the Independent Senators. However, isn’t the President “a creature of the government”? President Kangaloo was selected by the deposed PNM government. When the Independent Senators give the government a hard time in passing legislation, some activists may employ intimidatory tactics. Senate President Wade Mark has warned against such “harassment, intimidation or attempts to shame Senators.”
This Government can begin constitutional reform and look at removing the Office of the President from any doubt. With the cooperation of the Tobago People’s Party’s two MPs, the Government can explore its capabilities with more than a two-thirds majority. Instead of intimidation, conversation and legislation may bring meaningful problem-solving. If this is a bridge too far, perhaps there are other areas of concern the Government would consider testing.
If we can’t get significant constitutional reform all at once, maybe we could welcome what is possible and what is progressive from within those possibilities.