Analysts: PM prepping Young to take over

Political analysts Dr Shane Mohammed and Dr Bishnu Ragoonath both believe that succession planning may be behind Prime Minister Keith Rowley’s appointment of Energy Minister Stuart Young to act as PM for a second time.

Rowley who left T&T last Sunday for a medical check-up overseas, appointed Young to act as Prime Minister while he was away—the second time that Young has acted as PM. He was also appointed to act in July when Rowley attended a Caricom conference in Grenada. At that time Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who has usually been appointed to act as PM over the Government’s two terms, was not in T&T. On this occasion of Rowley’s absence, Imbert is in the country.

Commenting on the issue, Dr Mohammed said, “It’s a creative way to begin succession planning, it could also be indicative of what one of the options for future leadership of the party looks like. It is clear that the party wants to be more diversified than even Mr (Patrick) Manning had expected. I said it once and I will say it again, Dr Rowley’s number one competition remains Mr Manning.”

“The acting appointment can also be simplified in that we are approaching the end of the financial year and a Budget is due. As such Mr Imbert and the technocrats are focused on Budget related matters.”

“If such is in fact the case, we can hope that Mr Imbert is working on a budget that will reduce poverty, reduce unemployment, reduce inflation, increase earning capacity, allow for greater purchasing power, address bread and butter issues and not treat citizens as though they are ruled by Romans. But I would be accused—and rightfully so—of being facetitious.”

Ragoonath said it was the Prime Minister’s prerogative to appoint his team and someone to act as Prime Minister. He also noted that Young was the PNM’s chairman who wielded power in the party. He said both of these factors may be sending a message to the party about the choice of a successor.

Top PNM sources while agreeing with the succession aspect, dismissed claims that Young was appointed to act as PM since he was currently PNM’s chairman and Imbert had also been PNM chairman. They noted Imbert had acted as PM before becoming the PNM’s chairman and that previous PNM chairmen Conrad Enill and the late Frankie Khan had not been appointed to act as Prime Minister during the Manning PNM administration’s terms.

They pointed out that PNM deputy leaders Dr Lenny Saith and Joan Yuille Williams had been appointed by late former Prime Minister Patrick Manning to act as Prime Minister in 2006 and 2004 respectively. and that Imbert was now a deputy leader.—Gail Alexander

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