By Sue-Ann Wayow
SOME people are relieved that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has decided to step down after nine years in office.
“Thank God, Hallelujah!,” was the response from a 19-year-old security guard when asked by AZP News on Saturday how he felt about the prime minister’s most recent announcement.
Shakir Greene, 19 from Point Fortin said, “It is about time. He is not paying attention to anything that is happening in the country.”
Another 19-year-old from Gasparillo, Destiny Wong, a student, said, “I think stepping down is the right decision, one that will benefit the country and to me, I don’t think he had much of a choice because they wouldn’t be re-elected if he was to go up again for prime minister.”
Winston Wei Lung Chung, 72, a businessman from San Fernando. had several thoughts about Dr Rowley’s announcement.
Speaking to AZP News at South Park Mall, Tarouba he said, “In my opinion and if all the reports and statistics are accurate, I would think that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley was a total failure as Prime Minister from the year he became Prime Minister.”
Wei Lung Chung said since Dr Rowley took office, the murder rate increased with no action being taken to decrease that rate.
This is in addition to the depletion of the Heritage and Stabalisation Fund, deteriorating roads, increased cost of living, the exodus of brain power to foreign countries, and many more.
“The bottom line is that the standard of living has deteriorated so drastically over the past ten years or so and we don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
Wei Lung Chung continued, “So much so, that I along with many of my fellow businesspeople are actually thinking of moving away from Trinidad to one, get away from the crime situation, to have a better life and two maybe to have a better economic stability in which we can operate our business.”
The question now on everyone’s minds was “Who is going to take over?” he said.
The present People’s National Movement (PNM) and even the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) seemed to be unfit to efficiently run the country the businessman said.
Wei Lung Chung said, “I am glad and I think a lot of the population are actually very glad to see him go but we sit in anticipation to see who the next Prime Minister might be.”
“Regardless of what decision he makes, I still have to do what I have to do,” was the response from Jay Hills, a 45-year-old salesperson from San Fernando.
Vikash Rajnauth from Aranguez also said it was a good move by Dr Rowley to step down.
He said Trinidad and Tobago had not just an economic recession or a crime issue but an integrity recession, greatly lacking in values and principles.
Rajnauth, an engineer, said many other nations were progressing at a steady rate but Trinidad and Tobago was declining.
He asked, “Why would you want to retire if you know you are doing something good?”
Another woman in her sixties said finally Dr Rowley has decided to resign. She, like others are also wondering who may be his successor in the PNM.
On Friday, during a press conference in Tobago, Dr Rowley who has 45 years of service in public office, announced that he will be resigning his prime ministerial office before the end of the legal limits of this term.
He currently remains as political leader of the PNM having taken over from former leader Patrick Manning in 2010.
