'Heroine' Kamla will get the job done: Robinson. PM promises 'to do my best'

PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar presents Robinson with a phot taken in May at a luncheon at which the former PM endorsed Persad-Bissessar for the May 24 general election

Former president Arthur NR Robinson has described Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as a “heroine”, and has expressed confidence in her ability to get the job done.

Robinson made the comment at a special Christmas function for more than 500 hundred children from 40 special schools and children’s homes, hosted by Persad-Bissessar at the Diplomatic Centre Friday.

Robinson's confidence in the Prime Minister is based on his close political association with her ever since she entered national electoral politics in 1991 as candidate for the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) under Robinson's leadership. 

She was defated and later joined the United National Congress, holding several cabinet positions in the Panday UNC government between 1995 and 2001.

Robinson praised the country's first female prime minister for her “courage, persistence and interest in the people of Trinidad and Tobago.” as he sat next to her.

“Sitting by the side of the Honourable Prime Minister you see the unity of Trinidad and Tobago...She is a heroine of Trinidad and Tobago,” said Robinson, who was prime minister of the country from 1986 to 1991.

“Nobody has been able to put together a Cabinet which represents so many different interests in the nation of Trinidad and Tobago,” Robinson said as he urged everybody to know, recognise and appreciate the nature of the "trfemendous" task that confronts her new administration.

“Nobody has had this kind of task to perform before, he noted, adding, “No one has been able to survive after the task that was before them. So we must express our confidence that she will prove to be equal to the task that lies before her.”

Robinson said Christmas is an apporporiate time "tocelebrate the life and the achievements, so far, of Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar.”

He hoped that she would “prove to be one of the most outstanding leaders that ever walked the face of the earth in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.”

Persad-Bissessar promised to, “do my very best to live up to the challenge.”