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Trinidad And Tobago PM Unofficially Launches Campaign For 2020 General Election

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, makes an economic point during his broadcast, last night. Photo credit: CMC.

Trinidad And Tobago PM Unofficially Launches Campaign For 2020 General Election

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, January 7, 2019 (CMC) – Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, last night, unofficially launched his ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) campaign for at least three elections, including the 2020 general elections, here, by comparing the performances of his three-year-old administration to that of the former People’s Partnership administration.

A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister had, on Saturday, indicated that Rowley would deliver an address to the nation that would be broadcast in two parts, but what transpired on Sunday night was a re-broadcast of an event, where the prime minister addressed several political and economic issues confronting his administration since it came to office in September 7, 2015.

In the first section of the broadcast titled “Mind Your Business”, Rowley appeared to be setting the agenda for not only the 2020 general election, but also the upcoming Local Government and Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections that are due, later this year and early next year.

He told the nation that when the government came to power in 2015, the revenue from the oil and gas industry was an estimated one billion dollars, as compared with TT$17 billion in 2014, when the previous government, headed by Kamla Persad Bissessar, was still in office.

He said then, the price of a barrel of oil was US$90, as compared with as low as US$28 dollars during his administration’s term.

He accused the past administration of providing gas companies with concessions, including complete tax write-offs during the period 2013-14 that led to a further decline in the economic situation, and that it had also “wasted” more than TT$29 billion in cash that had accrued from the sale of oil and gas by state-owned entities.

Rowley told the nation that projects, estimated at TT$12.5 billion, which his administration is now embarking upon, including the construction of hospitals, the purchase of ferries for Tobago, tourism projects, could have been financed under the “cash” wasted by the previous administration.

Rowley also defended the decision of his government to allow the Jamaica-based hotel chain, Sandals, to operate, here, in the next few years, noting that many Caribbean countries are benefitting from the presence of the hotel chain.

Rowley told the nation that in 2019, his administration has to allocate TT$68 out of every TT$100 to spend on debt payments and public sector wages, salaries and pensions.

The Office of the Prime Minister said that the second part of the “address” will be aired on television tonight.

In an immediate reaction to the first broadcast, Persad Bissessar said “we do not expect anything from Part Two of the Rowley show, and the Prime Minister should have spent his time focusing on viable solutions and a plan to move the country forward”.

“The country has long lost confidence in the PNM (People’s National Movement) and are crying out for a return to sound leadership and good governance,” she said.

Persad Bissessar was due to meet with members of the main opposition United National Congress (UNC) today, with the party indicating that the meeting is part of the preparation for the Local Government and general elections.


2 comments

  1. Keith Rowley is too stressed for his job as Prime Minister. I will be campaigning soon, with great investors, to take this twin-islands nation to the next level of development, with much opportunities for the people of this blessed paradise. The citizens of Trinidad and Tobago deserve more respect than they have received from the current Prime Minister, as he surely lacks in that department.
    Ken Ramnath
    Director
    Celine Int’l
    Wall Street NYC
    Ken.ramnath@gmail.com

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