Trinidad and Tobago Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has launched a scathing critique of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley following his announcement last week that he will not contest the upcoming general election and plans to retire from politics.
Persad-Bissessar described Rowley’s decision as a “clear admission of his failure to lead this nation effectively” and called on him to immediately call elections.
In a strongly worded statement, the United National Congress (UNC) leader accused Rowley of abandoning a country in turmoil, claiming his leadership has left Trinidad and Tobago in economic ruin and gripped by fear due to rampant crime.
“Rowley and his Ministers have taken us to a failed state with a lame-duck Prime Minister and government,” Persad-Bissessar said. “Our economy is in shambles, crime is rampant, and the safety and security of our citizens are at an all-time low. He has crashed the country and abandoned the ship after raising his salary and pension.”
Persad-Bissessar also questioned the timing of the announcement, noting that it came just days after the imposition of a State of Emergency (SOE). She called the SOE a “political gimmick” designed to distract from the administration’s failures, saying it had already “failed spectacularly.”
The Opposition Leader further accused Rowley’s administration of overreach and undermining independent institutions, including the Central Bank, the Auditor General, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. She labeled his legacy one of “failure, division, and despair,” asserting that his departure offers no relief for citizens struggling under the weight of his policies.
“Rowley’s retirement is no cause for celebration. It reflects the utter chaos and collapse of his government,” Persad-Bissessar said. “He should do the honourable thing and call elections now. The people deserve a chance to choose leadership that can lead them back to prosperity and light.”
Persad-Bissessar vowed that a UNC-led government would restore stability, tackle crime, and revitalize the economy, offering hope to a nation she described as being “left in darkness.”
Rowley’s announcement comes with the general election constitutionally due by the end of the year.
