FINANCE MINISTER Colm Imbert on January 5 avoided comment on Dr Rowley’s decision to step down as Prime Minister.
He also did not respond to a question on who he would support as a successor to Rowley as political leader.
Imbert, a senior minister and MP, spoke briefly to reporters shortly before the start of the first day of the Cabinet retreat at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort, Lowlands, Tobago.
The retreat, which is intended to outline the government’s programmes and initiatives for the year, is being held in a villa at Tobago Plantations. It ends on January 6.
The event, which began at 9 am, is being held on the heels of Rowley’s announcement at a news conference on January 3 that he would resign as prime minister before the end of his term.
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He said he also would not offer himself as a nominee for the Diego Martin West constituency in the upcoming general election. Rowley has represented that area in the House of Representatives since 1991.
Asked about Rowley’s decision to step down, Imbert, laughing, said, “You know what kinds of comment you would get. Have a nice day.”
He also declined to comment on Rowley’s 45 years in public life, opting instead to talk about the weather.
“Isn’t it a beautiful day? The sun is shining. The sky is blue. The breeze is blowing and I am glad to be in Tobago.”
The Diego Martin North East MP said he visited the ANR Robinson airport expansion project on January 4.
“It is on target, looking fantastic. It is huge, I am surprised at how big it is. Everything is going well there.”
The billion-dollar project, being built by China Railway Construction Ltd, is expected to be completed at the end of March. Asked what he would like to tell the people of Tobago, Imbert said, “Have a nice day.”
On his expectations of the retreat, he added, “All you would get from me is have a nice day.”
Planning and Development Minister and Arima MP Pennelope Beckles-Robinson thanked Rowley for his contribution and wished him well.
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On whether she would consider contesting the leadership of the PNM, Beckles-Robinson was non-committal, saying only that she will “see how things go.”
She had challenged Rowley for the leadership of the party in 2014 but suffered a heavy defeat.
Several other ministers and MPs declined comment on their choice as a possible successor to Rowley.
But a photo posted on Rowley’s Facebook page showed an outdoor image of the Prime Minister surrounded by his ministers and MPs.
Speculation was rife over the weekend that a part of the retreat would be dedicated toward drumming up support for Rowley’s replacement as party leader.
But Rowley denied this was the case when he spoke to reporters on January 4 after chairing the screening committee to evaluate nominees for the Tobago East and Tobago West constituencies at the Calder Hall Multipurpose Facility, Tobago.
Incumbent MPs Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister and Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, Minister of Sport and Community Development, were re-selected to contest the seats in this year’s general election. The party has, to date, selected 33 candidates to contest the upcoming election.
