PENNELOPE Beckles-Robinson may have lost out on becoming the next Prime Minister, but she is still a challenger for Political Leader of the PNM.
Supporters of the Arima Member of Parliament are strategising on having her elected to succeed Dr. Keith Rowley at September’s much-anticipated convention of the ruling party.
Ms. Beckles-Robinson, Minister of Planning and Development, has the active political backing and commitment of several parliamentary colleagues and of certain constituency executives.
Her Arima constituency is coordinating support with other PNM groups to garner electoral assistance to be elected as the fourth political leader.
Several constituency colleagues went to Balisier House last Saturday to provide her with moral support.
Several PNM parliamentarians have pledged to lobby delegates to vote for Ms. Beckles-Robinson when the leadership matter is tabled.
Rowley has said he would step down as party boss when his term of office expires in September.
Ms. Beckles-Robinson’s ministerial supporters include three colleagues who spoke out at the PNM’s recent retreat in Tobago, and one who has worked with and is close to constituency executives.
Informed sources insist that Ms. Beckles-Robinson is more popular within the PNM than Young, who was railroaded by Rowley to succeed him in the prime minister’s chair.
After initially opposing Young as Rowley’s replacement, those Members of Parliament relented and signed a document in favour of the MP for Port of Spain North-St. Anns West.
Well-placed sources said the MPs backed down after a senior party official threatened to publicly release an incriminating report.
That report reveals alleged corruption involving a prominent PNM official.
Campaigners for Ms. Beckles-Robinson say they would bring enthusiasm and tactics similar to that which led to the selection of Kareem Marcelle as the general election candidate for Laventille West.
Marcelle, a relative political newcomer, was named to contest the seat in favour of incumbent and veteran Fitzgerald Hinds.
There was much agitation by delegates during the constituency process.
Constituency supporters are promising to crusade for the Arima parliamentarian in the months leading to the convention.
Ms. Beckles-Robinson is seen as more salt-of-the-earth than Young, who is considered as sympathetic to business elites.
“This is a battle of the ordinary members against big business,” an official of a PNM constituency stressed.
“This is a historic war,” he stated.
He said he is confident that “PNM people will not allow our great party to end up in the hands of the big shots in society.”
But loyalists of Ms. Beckles-Robinson acknowledge it would be difficult to have her elected as the leader if Young leads the PNM to general election victory.
The PNM has never had dual leadership – one person as leader and another as prime minister.
Victory for the party in the upcoming national polls would give Young a major head start in the PNM’s leadership race, they conceded.
“If Stuart takes the PNM to election success, there would be great odds against electing someone else as our leader,” the constituency official said.
Ms. Beckles-Robinson, a much more seasoned politician that Young, is highly popular among the demographics of gender, age, and geography.
Young is said to be favoured by the middle and upper classes and party donors.
With Rowley’s dramatic retirement announcement, the 69-year-old political party is in the throes of unprecedented, even tumultuous, developments.
