Caption: Pennelope Beckles
By Alicia Chamely
PENELOPE Beckles says she is no one’s political pawn as she officially takes leadership of the People’s National Movement.
Beckles made history on Sunday, being officially installed as the first female leader of the PNM at the party’s special convention held at the Lion’s Cultural Centre, Woodbrook.
In her inaugural address Beckles said, “I am not here to be a figurehead or caretaker, a token or somebody’s pawn. I am here to work!”
She added, “To lead you boldly, to listen to you deeply and to work with you, with each and everyone of you, to restore our great party.”
Discussing her leadership she said, “I am not afraid of accountability, in fact, I welcome it, and I demand it.”
Beckles added, “As we usher in this new era of leadership under my steady watch, every elected officer of this party will be accountable to the general council and central executive and above all, to you the members of this great party.”
Focusing on the newly installed PNM executive she congratulated them and cautioned them that they must be prepared to work, saying, “If you thought the internal campaign was plenty work, you ain’t see nothing yet!”
Beckles said, “I expect you to perform to the best of your abilities, we are here to support one another.”
She said party committees would be established in accordance with the party’s constitution.
Regarding committees she said, “No committee will exist in name only, no single role will be ceremonial, every member of our leadership will be expected to deliver a work plan by the end of August 2025.”
Beckles laid out her plans for the opening of Balisier House to the membership and the country, saying, “Balisier House will be the people’s house.”
She added she would be instituting regular public days where she will personally meet with citizens .
Beckles also said meetings would no longer be confined to one area, saying, “Look out San Fernando, look out Mayaro, look out Chaguanas, look out Tobago!”
In rebuilding the party, Beckles said it was in the hands of the youth and the women.
She said, “Let me say this plainly from my heart, the future of the PNM lies in the hands of our young people. And the current and the future strength of the PNM rests on the shoulders of the PNM women.”
Beckles vowed to bring the party back to power and called on all PNM members to join the process of healing and rebuilding.
She said, “We have to dare to believe in each other again and to restore the fire again, just not for our party but for our country. So, I ask you not for blind faith, but for open hearts. In return for your trust, I make this solemn vow to you, I will lead our PNM with integrity, humility and love.”
Adding, “Join us. Help us. Hold us accountable. Build with us. We are not just preparing to win elections. We are preparing to win back hearts, minds, and trust.”
During her inaugural address, Beckles moved her focus from party matters to those of national importance and the party’s role as the Opposition.
Beckles said, “We find ourselves under the rule of a 2-month-old government that seems to be reneging on many of its campaign promises, a government that is completely out of its depth, and a government that simply does not care about you.”
She added, “They have not offered a single solution to any major problem facing the country. They have no solutions. They have no plans. They are depending on PR, photo-ups, smoke screens, and mirrors, and their attempts to demonize the PNM.”
Beckles said it was her mission to hold the “callous” accountable and vowed to fight for democracy and for the betterment of Trinidad and Tobago.
Closing her address she quoted Dr Eric Williams, “We are not another transitory and artificial combinations to which you have grown accustomed in election years, or another bandwagon of dissident and disappointed politicians each out merely to get a seat in the Legislature. We stand or fall by our programme…. nor are we an ordinary party in the accepted narrow sense of the word. We are rather a rally, a convention of all and for all, a mobilization of all the forces in the community, cutting across race and religion, class and colour, with emphasis on united action by all the people in the common cause.”
Beckles first entered the political arena as an opposition senator in 1995. In 2000 she was elected the Member of Parliament for Arima. She has held various ministerial and diplomatic positions.
