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Former PNM vice-chairman on Young's selection: MORALLY WRONG - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

THE People's National Movement's (PNM) former vice-chairman Robert Le Hunte says the country deserves a prime minister who has the full support of the political party he or she represents.

Le Hunte made his feelings clear on January 7, with respect to the PNM parliamentary caucus' decision, a day earlier, to select Port of Spain North/St Ann's West MP Stuart Young to replace Dr Rowley as prime minister when he demits office.

It has been reported that a secret ballot ended 11-9 in Young's favour, with Rowley saying he opted not to cast his own vote.

At a news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Central Administrative Services, Tobago on January 3, Dr Rowley officially announced his intention to retire from electoral politics. He promised a smooth transition as he resigns as prime minister and PNM political leader.

At a news conference at the Magdalena Grand Hotel in Tobago on January 6, Rowley said the PNM's parliamentary caucus of elected MPs had selected Young to succeed him as prime minister. Those government ministers who are senators were ineligible to vote.

Young is also Energy Minister, Minister in the OPM and PNM chairman.

Rowley also said the PNM will hold a convention on September 28 to determine several matters, including who its new political leader will be. Rowley, who has been PNM leader since 2010, was re-elected in 2022 when he defeated former government minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira in that year's internal elections.

Rowley's term as leader officially ends in 2026 but he made it clear that he intends to resign soon as both political leader and PM. He has also said he does not intend to offer himself up as a candidate in the general election.

While not giving any definitive date for his resignation as PM, Rowley says he should be done and finished with his last remaining official duties, including attending a Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Barbados, well before Carnival.

'MORALLY, AND ETHICALLY WRONG'

In a WhatsApp comment sent to Newsday on January 7, Le Hunte acknowledged the Constitution at Section 76(1) caters for government MPs to select a prime minister from among their ranks.

But it is important that anyone holding this position must have the full backing of the party they represent in Parliament, he said.

"The approach being adopted, although constitutionally correct is morally and ethically wrong."

Le Hunte said, "In the case of the PNM and our constitution, this could only be achieved via the one man-one vote for the office of political leader and by extension the prime minister."

[caption id="attachment_1116454" align="alignnone" width="1024"] PM-IN-WAITING: Energy Minister Stuart Young, who all things being equal, could be Prime Minister in March. - File photo courtesy Office of the Parliament[/caption]

He added the decision of the parliamentary caucus was not in keeping with with international norms related to a prime minister's resignation.

Le Hunte cited the resignation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as an example.

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