Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley has named Port of Spain South MP Marlene McDonald as the Opposition Chief Whip, removing Colm Imbert from the post that he held in the previous Parliament. And he has appointed former Arima MP Pennelope Beckles to be the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.
It's a stratgegic shift that puts women in charge of the key Parliamentary positions with Kamla Persad-Bissessar as the first female Prime Minister, McDonald as the first woman to sit as Opposition Chief Whip and Beckles as the first woman Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.
"Well, certainly, it is very humbling to be named as the Chief Whip and certainly I will put my best foot forward at the start of this new time," McDonald told reporters. She served as Culture Minister in the last Manning administration.
Beckles said she is ready to serve. "I think it is an opportunity and a challenge that I look forward to it."
Rowley made the move to recognise Beckles although she might be running against him for the leadership of the People's National Movement (PNM) in the party's June 27 leadership convention. She will announce on Friday is she will be taking on that challenge.
Rowley told reporters he did not dump Imbert but rather he moved to put new faces in positions. He said he would ask Imbert to chair the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
He assured reporters that he and Imbert will work well together despite their political differences. Imbert has said he might run against Rowley for the PNM leadership.
No comments:
Post a Comment