Former minister: PM must clear air on future

Former government Minister Ralph Maraj is giving Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley one month to come clean on the future leadership of the People’s National Movement (PNM). He wants the PM to tell the public why the party’s internal election scheduled for next month was suddenly cancelled and be honest when it comes to whether or not he is retiring from politics.

Talk about Rowley’s departure from the PNM began last Thursday, after the PM hinted at stepping down on the final day of Budget debate contributions in Parliament. Rowley said he did not know how much longer he had in Parliament, he had run his course and was looking forward to his family at the end of the metaphoric “rainbow.”

Although it was not the first time the PM had spoken of his political departure, more eyebrows were raised when the PNM announced the cancellation of its 51st annual convention and internal election less than 24 hours later.

PNM members are tight-lipped about the reason why. This led to more questions about whether Rowley was bowing out and if so, who will be his successor.

Speaking on CNC3’s The Morning Brew yesterday, Maraj said Rowley’s tone of finality has led to further speculation and called on the PM to clear the air.

He said the party’s leadership elections should be a priority and the membership should decide who they want as their head.

Saying Rowley should not decide who will lead the party, Maraj said, “I would think that they should try to do this over the next month or so. Clear up the situation. Make a statement to the country about what the situation is at present. Right now, the Prime Minister is not saying anything about the postponement, that is leading to further speculation.

“They should make a decision about the way forward, how they are going to manage this transition, because they are clearly in a transition mode as far as the People’s National Movement is concerned. How they are going to manage it in a democratic, transparent way so that the people, the members of the party, can have their say rather than having a situation manipulated for the insertion of a new leader, the insertion of a new leadership. That is going to weaken the party.”

He added, “If it is indeed as it is rumoured that Dr Rowley has a particular choice in mind to replace him to be his successor, then that raises questions. Is he going to continue to head the committee of the party to choose the candidate? Would he then, in that process, not impose his own candidate on the new leader in case it is not his chosen one? Let the people decide. Let the PNM membership decide who they want as their new leader. It shouldn’t be that Dr Rowley would choose his candidate and try to impose that person by whatever means that is necessary, that is not a fair thing to do.”

Among names being touted as possible party leaders are Energy and Energy Industries Minister Stuart Young, Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne and Youth Development and National Service Minister Foster Cummings.

Maraj was a PNM MP from January 1992 to September 1995, before crossing the floor to the United National Congress. He was a minister of foreign affairs under the PNM and a minister communication and information technology under the UNC from November 1995 to October 2001.

Also contacted, NTA leader Gary Griffith said, “The PNM, they have a degree of discipline where that dirty linen stays inside. This might very well be the reason why they are trying to refrain from having this type of internal election at this time, prior to a general election.

“That seems to be the reason where they’re deciding to circle the wagon, work as one solidified group, to ensure that they can go as one body in the general election. … They would have seen what happened with another political party, where unfortunately that concept of democracy is not alive and kicking. It’s as if you have a right to challenge but if you challenge you will be deemed as a dissident.”

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