Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 26/Feb 16:20

Prime Minister to resign on March 16

The Prime Minister will step down on March 16. Dr Rowley was speaking at the commissioning of the O’Meara Road upgrade project at the Ministry of Works and Transport, O’Meara Road, Arima on February 26. He first announced his intention to step down as Prime Minister at a press conference on January 3. At that time, he said, “I said to this country, I will not be doing that again, and I meant it, and I have kept it. “I also said that I have brought into the political arena a number of young people who had served at that time, one term. Many of them are still in government about to complete their second term, experienced, some of them with nine or ten years approximately of service in the government. “So the government and people of Trinidad and Tobago have a cadre of people, mainly young people, who came into public service, with all its warts and are prepared to take this country forward.” Rowley, who turns 76 in October, has served 45 years in public life. On January 6, Rowley named Energy Minister Stuart Young as his successor. He said Young received the support from the PNM's parliamentary caucus after a retreat in Tobago. “Once a vacancy arises with respect to the appointment of a prime minister, it falls to the President to respond to that by making an appointment on the person, who, in the President’s view, commands the majority in the House,” Rowley said on January 7. “So we, as a caucus, as a PNM in the house (of Representatives), we discussed at length and in the end, we came up with a situation where the entire PNM caucus is in support of Member of Parliament Stuart Young, MP for Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West. And we are very pleased to announce that the promise of a smooth transition is going according to plan.” Rowley said on January 3 he will not be seeking re-election as the PNM's candidate for the Diego Martin West constituency in this year's general election. On February 17, the PNM's screening committee chose broadcaster Hans Des Vignes to succeed Rowley. About Dr Keith Rowley Here are some highlights of Dr Rowley's 45 years in public life: Enters politics in 1981, unsuccessfully contests Tobago West seat in that year's general election. Opposition Senator from 1987-1990. First elected Diego Martin West MP in 1991. Agriculture Minister – January 13, 1992-Oct 6, 1995. Planning and Development Minister – December 2001-November 2003. Housing Minister – November 2003-November 2007. Accused in 2003 of having material moved from the Scarborough Hospital Project to the Landate private housing development project in Mason Hall, Tobago. Subsequently cleared of all claims and allegations. Trade and Industry Minister – November 2007-April 2008. Fired from Cabinet in April 2008, by then prime minister Patrick Manning over concerns about corruption at Udecott and for allegedly engaging in "wajang behaviour." September 2004 – Accused of being involved in a "teacup" brawl in Parliament's lounge with then UNC MP Chandresh Sharma. May 2010 – Opposition Leader after PNM's defeat in that year's election. Later elected PNM political leader. September 2015 – Elected prime minister. August 2020 – Re-elected prime minister. January 2025 – Announces retirement from electoral politics. The post Prime Minister to resign on March 16 appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.