WILL Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley use the Parliamentary retreat in Tobago to bully MPs to endorse Stuart Young as his successor after he has announced his intention to retire again.
This according to Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar in response to Dr Rowley saying he was not going up for re-election.
The government has a retreat in Tobago on Sunday and Monday.
In a statement minutes after Dr Rowley abrupt announcement at the end of his press conference in Tobago on Friday, Persad-Bissessar accused Dr Rowley and his People’s National Movement (PNM) MPs of causing economic hardship, fostering a violent crime crisis, and undermining independent institutions.
Describing the government as chaotic, she questioned the timing of Rowley’s announcement, which follows the recently declared State of Emergency and labelled it as a political gimmick.
Persad-Bissessar said, “Rowley and his Ministers have taken us to a failed state with a lame-duck prime minister and government.
“The government is in chaos. Why make this announcement after calling an SOE four days ago? It is clear that this SOE was a political gimmick that has already failed spectacularly.
“The lives and livelihoods of our citizens mean nothing to Rowley, who is engaging in a perverse, wicked soap opera within the PNM while the country is destroyed. He has crashed the country and abandoned the ship after raising his salary and pension.”
She said state security officers will not heed instructions from a lame-duck prime minister, local and foreign financial institutions and energy companies will hold on to most investments, credit access will be put on hold, and the country will move into financial stasis until the next GE.
Persad-Bissessar said, “I am informed that PNM MPs and financiers are dumping their TT dollar holdings as the country is on the IMF door, and financing from other agencies has dried up.”
She said, “One must ask: does Rowley intend to use his retreat as a platform to pressure and bully his party’s parliamentarians into endorsing Stuart Young as his successor? Will taxpayers be forced to fund what appears to be a PNM internal power struggle disguised as governance?”
Persad-Bissessar said people must remain vigilant as Dr Rowley’s history of undermining trust is well-documented.
She said, “His disregard for democratic principles within his party, exemplified by the postponement of the PNM’s internal elections and special convention, speaks volumes about his leadership.
“Moreover, his administration’s interference with independent institutions, such as the Police Service Commission, the Integrity Commission, and the Elections and Boundaries Commission, has severely eroded public confidence in these critical bodies.
“Let us not forget the Rowley government’s attacks on other independent offices, including the Central Bank, the Auditor General, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. These actions reflect a legacy not of leadership but of overreach and intimidation.”
Persad-Bissessar said Dr Rowley’s legacy is one of failure, division, and despair, leaving a nation in darkness.
She added, “Rowley’s decision to announce his retirement now is a clear admission of his failure to lead this nation effectively. Rowley should do the honourable thing and call the elections.”
Persad-Bissessar said a United National Congress government will lead this country back to prosperity and light. She said, “We have a comprehensive crime-fighting plan that will restore safety and security to our streets. We will rebuild the economy, repair broken institutions, and bring hope back to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
“To my fellow citizens, I urge you to remain alert and steadfast. We must reject Rowley and his allies’ attempts to impose leadership on this nation that does not reflect the people’s will.
“The future of Trinidad and Tobago depends on our collective resolve to demand accountability, transparency, and strong leadership.”
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