T&T Gov’t nominates President of the Senate for head of state position
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley nominated Senate President Christine Kangaloo to replace Paula Mae Weekes as head of state of the oil-rich twin island republic.
The announcement followed a “cordial” meeting between Prime Minister Rowley and Kamla Persad Bissessar, who later told reporters she “strongly objects” to the nomination.
Persad Bissessar, 70, has been the MP for Siparia since 1995. He served as attorney general, minister of legal affairs, and minister of education between 1995 and 2001. He was a member of the Basdeo Panday government when ANR Robinson was elected president from 1997 to 2003.
Prime Minister Rowley told reporters the meeting between the government and opposition delegations was “very cordial” and that “we both agreed it would be best if we could have consensus, but we’re not unmindful that we may not.”
The meeting was successful. The opposition was asked if they had a nominee for our team. The opposition team told us they analyzed the situation and don’t want to advance any names.
Rowley said the government was still open to a joint nominee and had assigned five of the 12 sports to parliamentarians until Monday’s deadline.
“If we can go to Parliament with some semblance or element of consensus, if not, then the government will have to fill all 12 slots,” Rowley said. “But we would really be happy and I think the country would be better off if a qualified person as Senator Christine Kangaloo is our nominee going forward and we as parliamentarians can agree… that being a member of parliament does not disqualify you or anybody f”
The election for a new president is scheduled for January 20. According to the official Gazette, “a person shall not be a candidate for election as President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago unless nominated for election by a nomination paper signed by the candidate and 12 or more House of Representatives members and delivered to the Speaker at least seven days before the election.”
Rowley told reporters that President Weekes, who left the island for vacation this week, would not serve a second term and that the new head of state will take office in March.
Kangaloo is the first woman to serve as Senate Vice President and the third woman to serve as acting President of Trinidad and Tobago and Senate President.
Longtime member of the ruling PNM, she became an opposition senator in 2001 under Patrick Manning.
She served in several government ministries and was elected Senate President on 23 September 2015.
