ROWLEY MOVES TO WEAKEN CUMMINGS

PRIME Minister Dr. Keith Rowley is moving to strengthen his authority within the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM).

In doing so, Rowley is aiming to weaken the influence of General Secretary Foster Cummings, who is also a future aspirant for leadership of the party.

As PNM’s Political Leader, Rowley is likely to summon constituency executive elections before they are due, and field carefully selected candidates loyal to his agenda.

The purpose is to dilute Cummings’ sway with the regional executives.

Cummings is considered to have authority over most constituency executives, which could facilitate his nomination for political leader.

Rowley, who turns 75 in October, supports party Chairman and multi-purpose Minister Stuart Young as his successor.

Cummings’ extensive field work in the party led two years ago to the election of several executives that are supportive of him.

During the screening process for general election candidates in 2020, several constituency executives stood by nominees whom Rowley had rejected.

In one case, Rowley and the national executive turned down a nominee three times, but on each occasion the relevant constituency team sent back his name.

The contender was eventually selected as the candidate.

In another instance, Rowley rebuffed a candidate who, mere months before, had resigned a senior national position in protest over a decision by the Government.

The political leader held firm, and the constituency executive eventually submitted another name.

Cummings, who is also Minister of Youth Development and National Service, has close working times with young PNM members.

His ministry has created a number of youth-oriented taxpayer-funded programmes in urban communities.

Rowley, who has been inactive among the party’s grassroots, is conscious that the ambitious Cummings “could upset the leadership apple cart,” an informed Balisier House source said.

“He is well grounded with the rank-and-file,” the source stated.

Fifty-one-year-old Cummings is also Member of Parliament for La Horquetta-Talparo and a primary mover at the impressive new Balisier House.

Rowley strongly supports Young, whose candidacy as party Chairman he backed two years ago in favour of incumbent Colm Imbert.

Young enjoys a high profile as Minister of Energy and, as a Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister is involved in other key national decisions.

Following the PNM’s victory in the August 2020 general election, Rowley said he was preparing for retirement from public life.

He repeated that assertion at a party function last January.

He said he is under family “pressure” to “come home.”