Rowley tells PNM to end fighting, says there's only one leader

PNM leader Keith Rowley with Nafeesa Mohammed, chairperson of the San Juan/ Laventille Regional Corporation.
Express photo

Keith Rowley told members of his People's National Movement (PNM) Tuesday the party has only one leader and they have to end their divisiveness and accept that.

He made the point when he spoke at a PNM political meeting in San Juan. Rowley has been under extreme stress since taking over the leadership of the party on June 27, 2010, with many members, including MPs, continuing to show loyalty to former leader Patrick Manning.

He said that must end. "Tonight I want to lay one caution, and that caution is to mischief makers in the PNM 'your time is up'." 

He added, "When I took over this party I made a commitment to the people of the PNM and the country to do right by you and I have been here two years and I have given two years for the trauma to work out. Two years is enough," Rowley said.

"Eric Williams formed this party you can say it is he own, he dead. When he died George Chambers took over, he eventually lost his seat, he gone. Patrick Manning took over, he eventually resigned and he is going. The PNM has never had a second-class leader," Rowley said.

"I did not come to this position by an easy route and therefore I do not expect to be loved and hugged by all but I represent every member of Balisier House. All of we is one family," he said.

"So I make this call to you tonight come home to the PNM, come home, close ranks. If Trinidad and Tobago ever needed you it is now," Rowley said.


At the same meeting former PNM deputy political leader Nafeesa Mohammed called on the government to honour all former prime ministers of the country and accused the administration as behaving as if "Dr Williams did not exist". 


She also demanded that the government honour the former leader of the United National Congress (UNC), Basdeo Panday, who served as PM from 1995 to 2001 when he was fired by the President, who handed the government to PNM leader Patrick Manning.

(Source: Trinidad Express)