Stuart’s constituents not convinced he can lead the PNM

Since 2015, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young has represented Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West as its member of parliament. During that time, he worked his way up the political ladder from a Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs and Office of the Prime Minister to Minister of Communications to National Security Minister and now Energy Minister.

The PNM chairman is now viewed as one of the favourites to replace Dr Keith Rowley as the party’s leader, with the Prime Minister flirting with retirement ahead of the 2025 general election.

Belmont and St Ann’s residents, constituents of Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West, expressed mixed feelings about that possibility. While some praised Young, many others angrily vocalised disenchantment with the Government and the country’s politics.

In Belmont, at the corner of Belmont Circular Road and St Francois Valley Road, three retirees were liming at the entrance of a grocery mart. Asked about their MP, one of the men, who asked that his name not be used, said Young has done a good job.

“Yes, he would be a suitable candidate as the leader of the PNM, but I don’t know if the people in Trinidad know what they really want. That is our problem,” he said.

Another elderly man, sitting on a wooden stool, said his choice would be Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, given her experience. He believed Young lacked the necessary political know-how to be PNM’s political leader at this time.

“The people will have to say who is the best person to replace Rowley as leader. I, personally, doubt we will get a woman prime minister again. Penny’s name has come up and she is the most experienced one,” he said.

The other people interviewed in Belmont and St Ann’s were far more animated when asked about possible successors to Rowley within the PNM.

“Stuart Young? I don’t deal with politics, but Stuart Young is cool, I suppose. Whoever is there, we have to continue living. We have to pay taxes, we have to go to the grocery and eat.

“All of them are the same thing—PNM and UNC. It all depends on you. You sit down and wait for Stuart Young nah, and see what happens,” an elderly female Belmont resident said.

She believed that no politician was capable of changing the fortunes of the community’s young people. That change, she said, must come from the people themselves.

“Young children lose their spiritual value. Long-time children had to go to church. Those fellas are on crime and smoking cocaine now. It is not Stuart Young have them in the dustbin. They have themselves so,” she added.

Her neighbour, who also lives opposite Mattharon Bar and Lounge near the Circular Road, pointed to three bullet holes in his front wall while speaking. He said those holes were from an October 2023 shooting that killed four residents between the ages of 23 and 31.

“Shooting down the road, in Port-of-Spain, today again. The place is sickening. Stuart Young and all of them talking in Parliament. Them fellas only looking out for themselves. People in Parliament not doing anything for us out here. They fattening their pocket. They telling us they giving us money. We work for our little NIS and we pension and they talking like they paying something.

“It’s the same thing with the politicians over and over. Meanwhile, the young people not praying. They want to come out here and put on new sneakers, look nice and pretty. You can’t even put on a gold chain because they want that from you. It have no love. This crime, they have to start to hang,” he complained.

Meanwhile, a St Ann’s resident, eating in a car along the St Ann’s Main Road, laughed boisterously when asked about Young.

“Who? the zammy man? I don’t study them, you know. I don’t have any time with them. It’s the same thing over and over. They just going to continue along the same road. I have to live and those politicians are living better than me.

“If anything, they should give young Manning, Brian Manning. He’s not the best man, but they have nobody else. At least he could try and follow his father a little bit,” he said laughing.

Another St Ann’s resident was even less diplomatic with his thoughts. He added the time has come for the country to turn its back on the PNM and UNC.

“All those government people is a set of ****hole. Dr Rowley coming right down.

“If I could take Mickela Panday and give her a chance, I would. They have to get rid of both of them—Rowley and Kamla. The parliamentarians rape the country for years. Right now, Guyana is better than here,” he said angrily.

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