Trip to London necessary to honour TT's commitment to Commonwealth: PM

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar reminded reporters Wednesday that she inherited her position as Commonwealth Chair from former prime minister Patrick Manning and is committed to honour the responsibilities of the position.

She said that is why she is attending the Commonwealth Economic Partnerships Forum (CEBF) in London next week.

Critics have suggested that having just returned home from a 10-day trip to New York where she addressed the UN General Assembly she should not go on another trip at this time. She is scheduled to leave for London next Tuesday.

However she disagrees and said it would be bad for the country if she does not attend the conference. 

"I inherited that office and it is a commitment on the basis of that office. To dishonour would not be good for Trinidad and Tobago. It is a two-day trip. Before I am gone, I will be back," she said.
 

Reporters aslo asked her about her choice for acting PM when she leaves on this trip. Persad-Bissessar said a decision would be taken in Cabinet Thursday as to who will act as Prime Minister.

There is strong speculation that Persad-Bissessar will appoint a woman to act during her brief absence. Some sources have said the most likely candidate is Vernella Alleyne Toppin, MP for Tobago East. 

She is a member of the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP), a member of the People's Partnership.
  
So far three different people have acted as PM during Persad-Bissessar's trips overseas since taking office in May - Jack Warner, UNC Chairman, Winston Dookeran, COP Leader and Errol McLeod, leader of the MSJ. They represent members of her People's Partnership.

While the pattern appears to have been a rotation involving different members of the partnership, the Prime Minister noted that any People's Partnership MP is qualified to act.

"The formula for selecting an acting Prime Minister is seeing who could do a good job in the absence of the Prime Minister and who would carry out the principles and the policies of the party. And every single one of my MPs falls in that category," she stated.