PM Kamla off to Australia for CHOGM; Dookeran to act until her return

Female Commonwealth Leaders: Julia Gillard and Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar left for Australia Wednesday to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Finance Minister Winston Dookeran will act for her until her return next month.

She will hand over the Commonwealth Chairperson's responsibility to her Australian counterpart, Julia Gillard, on October 28.

Persad-Bissessar inherited the leadership role for the 54-nation Commonwealth from her predecessor, Patrick Manning. The last CHOGM was held two years ago in Port of Spain.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to attend two other events iN Australia, dealing with women's rights.

"These high level meetings are important avenues for me to consolidate and strengthen the relationships and networks which Trinidad and Tobago has developed. I seek the interests of our twin island Republic," she told reporters at Piarco International Airport.

She also announced that the Office of the Prime Minister's website www.opm.gov.tt has been upgraded to keep citizens updated on her official duties.

"In particular, we want to engage our younger citizens in the governance of our nation. We must utilise the medium to which they have become most familiar, undoubtedly that medium is ICT.

"The Office of the Prime Minister's website will feature news, speeches, photos, multimedia and social media content. I encourage everyone to visit the site for information updates on all our activities at CHOGM 2011," she said.