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FOR the first time, this country will have a female President, a female Prime Minister and a female Opposition Leader all at the same time.
This after the UNC won the general election on Monday and its leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is set to be sworn-in as prime minister today, and after the 12 PNM MPs, on April 30, pledged their support to Arima MP Pennelope Beckles to be the party's first ever female opposition leader.
The MPs' support was pledged during the PNM's general council meeting at Balisier House in Port of Spain.
On election night, after conceding defeat, former political leader Dr Keith Rowley said the party's general council would meet two days later to choose an opposition leader.
However, the council could only make a recommendation as the Constitution clearly states it is elected MPs who must decide who they support as opposition leader. Once the MPs made their choice known, the general council would have ratified this decision. Newsday understands Beckles was the sole nominee.
Section 83 of the Constitution states: The President shall, if the person concerned is willing to be appointed, appoint as Leader of the Opposition the member of the House of Representatives who, in his judgement, is best able to command the support of the greatest number of members of the House of Representatives who do not support the Government.”
Earlier on Wednesday, a letter from Balisier House was circulated to the media showing the signatures of six MPs who supported Beckles as opposition leader, leading to speculation that Beckles only had the support of half of the 12 MPs apart from herself.
The initial MPs signing were Diego Martin MP Symon de Nobriga, St Ann's East MP Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Arouca/Lopinot MP Marvin Gonzales, Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert, Laventille West MP Kareem Marcelle and Port of Spain South MP Keith Scotland.
However, San Fernando East MP Brian Manning, later in the evening, told Newsday that in the course of general council meeting, all 12 MPs had signed a letter of support for Beckles. This letter is to be forwarded to President Christine Kangaloo.
PNM general secretary Foster Cummings told reporters he expected all MPs to support the general council's sole nominee. Addressing reporters, Beckles thanked her party colleagues for supporting her.
She said her first priority would be to meet with her MPs to chart the way forward as the PNM goes into opposition. Asked about choosing six opposition senators, she said the party's leadership – which is minus a substantive political leader and chairman after the resignations of Keith Rowley and Stuart Young, respectively, would meet to discuss this.
She said experienced PNM parliamentarians would help the incoming new MPs. "We may have reduced the numbers (of MPs) but that should not affect our ability," she said.
As to whether she expects to become the PNM's next political leader, she said the party has internal structures and systems to determine its leaders.
Beckles said her intention was not to be an opposition leader for the sake of being obstructionist. "We intend to be a responsible opposition," adding she has no objection to meeting with Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar.
Told that the UNC, with 26 seats, and if allied with the TPP and its two Tobago seats, will have a special majority and could pass laws without need for opposition support, Beckles said, "Even if that were the case, the public still wants to hear what your view is as an opposition. You have amendments, you put forward your amendments. If you have a position, you put forward your position."
Asked how the PNM would try to connect with the more than 100,000 voters who had abandoned it since the 2020 general election, she said, "I think that is a matter for the (general) secretary to address." She said as an MP she would usually get 9,000-10,000 votes, but admitted that this year she got roughly 7,000 votes in retaining her Arima seat.
"It is important to do your own analysis, do your own reflection. On the campaign trail, I recognised that the public is a lot more honest in terms of engaging with you. I've been an MP some time and they didn't hesitate to share with me some of their concerns."
She vowed to do her own post-mortem, with her campaign team, towards being the best possible representative.
Reporters asked what her message would be to PNM supporters, in the wake of the UNC's 26-13 victory over the PNM and the TPP wresting away the two Tobago seats as well, she said, "When you lose an election, it's never easy for your constituents, it is never easy for the party. It's never easy to lose anything.
"But one of the things I would say is that on each and every occasion the PNM has lost, we have recovered. We have been resilient."
Beckles said it was a question of believing in the PNM's philosophy and seeing how their administrations had spent public money on sport, education and health. Beckles said some people believe the government does nothing for them.
"How do you find opportunities to have a lot more community meetings, so the people will be understanding? When you talk about a $60 billion budget, how does that relate to the common man?"
Of her message to PNM supporters, she said, "You really shouldn't give up.There is a good team of MPs." She assured that PNM MPs would work hard in Parliament for their constituents and for their country.
Earlier in the general council meeting, general secretary Foster Cummings – who did not retain his seat of La Horquetta/Talparo – announced the resignations of Rowley as political leader as of April 30; Stuart Young as chairman effective immediately; and Rohan Sinanan as deputy political leader as of May 1.
After speaking with reporters, Beckles met with joyful supporters outside Balisier House some of whom hugged her, with a woman shouting out that she would operate as Special Branch (to protect Beckles) as, "It is woman power in the PNM now!"

THE PNM'S 12 MPS

Pennelope Beckles – Arima
Symon de Nobriga – Diego Martin Central
Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly – St Ann's East
Marvin Gonzales – Arouca/Lopinot
Colm Imbert – Diego Martin North East
Kareem Marcelle – Laventille West
Keith Scotland – Port of Spain South
Hans des Vignes – Diego Martin West
Christian Birchwood – Laventille East/Morvant
Dominic Romain – Malabar/Mausica
Brian Manning – San Fernando East
Camille Robinson-Regis – Trincity/Maloney
Stuart Young – PoS North/St Ann's West
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