Caption: Opposition Leader-elect Penelope Beckles-Robinson. AZP News/Alicia Chamely
By Alicia Chamely
PEOPLE’S National Movement Member of Parliament for Arima Penelope Beckles-Robinson is set to become the leader of the opposition.
And she’ll be the first female opposition leader of the PNM.
She was selected on Wednesday by the PNM General Council. Initially, six of the 13 PNM elected MPs nominated Beckles-Robinson for the position. There was a letter circulating with their signatures.
Her selection was confirmed by PNM General Secretary Foster Cummings at a press conference held at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain.
Cummings said, “By unanimous decision, the General Council has agreed that the Member of Parliament who will fill the role as leader of the opposition will be the MP for the constituency of Arima, the Honourable Penelope Beckles-Robinson.”
Speaking with AZP News shortly after her selection, Beckles-Robinson said, “Serving your constituents, serving Trinidad and Tobago is special privilege and I am really happy to have been selected as the leader of the opposition.”
Beckles-Robinson exited Balisier house to an enthusiastic crowd of supporters, who had spent much of the afternoon waiting for the council’s announcement, many of them singing: “We want Penny!”
Addressing the cheering crowd, she said, “I just want to say to the people who are gathered here today, that we had times when the PNM was in opposition, what is important is that we have always returned to government.”
Beckles-Robinson added, “Our commitment is to ensure the People’s National Movement returns to Government in the shortest possible time.”
Discussing the drop in morale among supporters due the recent election loss, she said, “We are disappointed that we were not successful, but we have every reason to hold our heads high because we know we are going to work hard, we know we are going to work as a team, we know that we have to liaise with you, listen to your voices, and as we go to the parliament to represent our constituents and the wider TT you can be assured that will represent you and serve you in a way that you can be exceptionally proud and know that we care for the people of TT.”
She said, “There are times when you may have felt we did not do the best that we should. There are times when you have felt that we didn’t care as much as we should have cared. We are going to listen to you a little more. We are going to hear you.”
Beckles-Robinson said, “And I say that we will return to Government! We are going to work; we are going to work harder, and you are going to be exceptionally proud of us!”
She said, “To the people of Arima, who I love dearly and who have continued to support me over the years, I want to say that there is no greater joy for me than serving the people of Arima. And you can be assured I will serve you and serve you well.”
She thanked her colleagues for their support in her selection.
Beckles-Robinson first entered politics in 1995 as a PNM opposition senator. She was also the first female deputy speaker of the Parliament from 2007 until 2010.
