PM Kamla congratulates Obama; Rowley hails 'fantastic victory'

File: PM Kamla with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar extended congratulations to US President Barack Obama late Tuesday night after learning that Obama had won a second term.

"He earned his re-election, he remained grounded in politics of hope and delivery to the people. Congrats President Obama,” she stated in a a text to the Express newspaper. “Obama lives on!”

The Express said it asked the PM if there are lessons from the presidential elections. The paper said she replied: “Stay focussed on delivery to the people.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran told the Express Obama’s victory signaled that race is no longer an issue in America.

"I think it is a great victory for America that he has been able to build a coalition based on the diversity of America, he has been able to win confidence in the continuity of his policies and that the American population recognised that it takes time for economic change to take place,” said Dookeran.

“I hope we can learn some lessons from the American citizens’ response to the politics of their country,” Dookeran added.

Dr Roodal Moonilal extended congratulations to the President and the American people. "They have a very rich tradition of democratic participation and the election was gruelling yet it captured all the hallmarks of a modern democracy including the good, the bad and the ugly,” said Moonilal.

“I think there are several lessons for us in Trinidad and Tobago to learn from the American presidential campaign for us as a Government - that is to keep strong, focus on achievement, delivery, fulfilling promises and communicating the good work on a continuous basis to the electorate,” Moonilal added.
Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley called it "a fantastic victory", adding, "I am extremely happy.”  

Rowley suggested that American is now getting ready for its first female president. "On to Hillary Clinton now for 2016. They have started flying that campaign already...2016 America's first woman President," he told the Express.