ALL 21 MPs in the House of Representatives have agreed to accept Minister of Energy and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young as the country’s next prime minister after Dr Rowley steps down.
PNM general secretary Foster Cummings made announcement at a news conference on January 11 after the party’s regular monthly general council meeting at Balisier House in Port of Spain.
The development represented a major turnaround from five days ago, when, at the close of the government’s retreat at the Tobago Plantations, Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort, Lowlands, Tobago, there was a split in the votes between Young and prime ministerial contender, Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles-Robinson.
Young, who is also the PNM chairman, had received 11 votes while Beckles-Robinson got nine votes.
Cummings, Minister of Youth Development and National Service, prefaced the briefing by saying that no motion was put before the general council to deal with any matter.
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He said the PNM continues to be a “strong and united party ready to continue to represent the country.”
Cummings added, “I will also indicate that at the time of this press conference, all 21 members of the House of Representatives of the PNM have signed on to agree and approve Minister Stuart Young to take over the Office of Prime Minister upon the retirement of Prime Minister Rowley.”
Young, who was also at the news conference, thanked Rowley for continuing to lead the PNM.
“Importantly, my message is one of unity and unification,” he said.
“I have been in very good dialogue, particularly with my colleagues, Minister Cummings and many of my other colleagues and what you are seeing here this evening at Balisier House is what you would expect to see from the People’s National Movement.
“What you seeing this evening at Balisier House is historic. This evening, at Balisier House, the general secretary and myself, are pleased to tell Trinidad and Tobago what you are going to be seeing is the roll-out of Team PNM going to the population as a unified party.”
