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Trinidad & Tobago: Keith Rowley and his PNM party win election
Voters in Trinidad & Tobago chose not to give incumbent Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s coalition a new 5-year term, opting to bring back the opposition under Keith Rowley.
People in the oil-rich, twin island nation voted Monday in elections that had the prime minister battling both the opposition and an upstart splinter party launched by disgraced soccer honcho Jack Warner.
Warner, a politically powerful lawmaker is now battling extradition to the United States after being indicted in the sweeping US probe of allegations of massive corruption at FIFA.
Warner, 72, swept up in the FIFA scandal that has rocked the world soccer governing body since it broke in May, is a long-time parliament member.
He launched the ILP after Persad-Bissessar sacked him from her cabinet two years ago and has put up 21 candidates for the 41-seat House of Representatives, including himself.
Persad-Bissessar’s main challenger was Rowley, a vulcanologist; his People’s National Movement (PNM) has governed the nation more than any other since independence in 1964.
“These are not the times of milk and honey. There are difficult times ahead. We have a resilient people, particularly a large body of young people who are looking for a future from our country,” the prime minister-elect said to chants of “Rowley, Rowley, Rowley” from hundreds of supporters.
Rowley assured supporters of the coalition that he intended to “govern for all of Trinidad & Tobago” and the first order of business for his cabinet was the national budget due by September 30th.
Meantime, UNC leader Persad-Bissessar conceded defeat as she declared she had done her best. “It was not good enough for some people but in my heart I know I did my best,” she told supporters gathered at her Siparia constituency office. “For now, I am happy to be citizen Kamla and MP for Siparia. I respect the wishes of the people and I wish the new government well.”
Prior to giving his victory speech, Rowley told reporters the victory at the polls was “the beginning of another era” saying that the party had prepared itself well for governance. “We are confident the country has been placed in good hands,” he stressed.
