Latest news with #People'sNationalMovement
France 24
28-04-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Violence-weary Trinidadians vote in general election
Former energy minister Young, 50, took over as prime minister of the Caribbean nation in March when party colleague Keith Rowley stepped down after 10 years in the job to make way for new blood. Young's center-left People's National Movement (PNM) has been lagging in polls behind the centrist United National Congress (UNC) of former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, 73. Persad-Bissessar has campaigned on promises of higher public wages to offset an economic downturn. Young has accused her of peddling false hopes, saying there was "no way that a government, any government, could afford" the additional $2-billion bill he said her program would entail. "Everything was pretty smooth," Karen John told AFP after she voted in Valsayn, in northern Trinidad, the larger of the two islands that make up the archipelago off the coast of Venezuela. Voters are electing the 41 members of the House of Representatives, parliament's lower house. The party that emerges with a majority of seats will form a new government, with its leader as prime minister. If no party wins a majority, a coalition government is likely in the English-speaking nation of 1.4 million people, famous for its carnival and sandy beaches. The election is taking place against the backdrop of a severe security crisis. A total of 623 murders were recorded last year, up from 577 in 2023, many of them linked to Latin America-based criminal gangs, including Venezuela's infamous Tren de Aragua, which the United States has designated a "terrorist" group. According to a US Department of State report from March, the murder rate of 37 per 100,000 people made Trinidad and Tobago the sixth most dangerous nation in the world last year. The report noted that the country's southern border, which is around 10 miles from the Venezuelan coast, was "vulnerable to illegal migration, drug trafficking, and human trafficking and smuggling." To try and restore order, the government imposed a state of emergency between December and mid-April. The Caribbean's second-largest producer of natural gas, Trinidad and Tobago has also been battling an economic downturn blamed partly on a decline in production. It had been banking on exploitation of the Dragon gas field in nearby Venezuelan waters, but has seen its licence withdrawn by the administration of US President Donald Trump under renewed sanctions against that country.
Int'l Business Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Violence-weary Trinidadians Vote In General Election
Voters in violence-plagued Trinidad and Tobago went to the polls on Monday in elections that will decide whether Prime Minister Stuart Young remains in power. Former energy minister Young, 50, took over as prime minister of the Caribbean nation in March when party colleague Keith Rowley stepped down after 10 years in the job to make way for new blood. Young's center-left People's National Movement (PNM) has been lagging in polls behind the centrist United National Congress (UNC) of former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, 73. Persad-Bissessar has campaigned on promises of higher public wages to offset an economic downturn. Young has accused her of peddling false hopes, saying there was "no way that a government, any government, could afford" the additional $2-billion bill he said her program would entail. "Everything was pretty smooth," Karen John told AFP after she voted in Valsayn, in northern Trinidad, the larger of the two islands that make up the archipelago off the coast of Venezuela. Voters are electing the 41 members of the House of Representatives, parliament's lower house. The party that emerges with a majority of seats will form a new government, with its leader as prime minister. If no party wins a majority, a coalition government is likely in the English-speaking nation of 1.4 million people, famous for its carnival and sandy beaches. The election is taking place against the backdrop of a severe security crisis. A total of 623 murders were recorded last year, up from 577 in 2023, many of them linked to Latin America-based criminal gangs, including Venezuela's infamous Tren de Aragua, which the United States has designated a "terrorist" group. According to a US Department of State report from March, the murder rate of 37 per 100,000 people made Trinidad and Tobago the sixth most dangerous nation in the world last year. The report noted that the country's southern border, which is around 10 miles from the Venezuelan coast, was "vulnerable to illegal migration, drug trafficking, and human trafficking and smuggling." To try and restore order, the government imposed a state of emergency between December and mid-April. The Caribbean's second-largest producer of natural gas, Trinidad and Tobago has also been battling an economic downturn blamed partly on a decline in production. It had been banking on exploitation of the Dragon gas field in nearby Venezuelan waters, but has seen its licence withdrawn by the administration of US President Donald Trump under renewed sanctions against that country. Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Stuart Young is seeking to remain in power, against a backdrop of rising gang violence and an economic slump AFP
The Guardian
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Trinidad and Tobago voters head to polls for wildly unpredictable election
Voters in the twin-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) are going to the polls today in a parliamentary election described by analysts as one of the most unpredictable in decades. Soaring crime levels, Donald Trump's trade tariffs, and the rising cost of living have dominated the race between the two main parties, the ruling People's National Movement (PNM) and the United National Congress (UNC). Voters will choose the 41 members of the lower House of Representatives for a five-year term. The trigger for the vote was former prime minister Keith Rowley's unprecedented decision to stand down in March, becoming the country's first leader to resign without losing at the polls. Stuart Young, 50, was sworn in as prime minister, and a day later, he dissolved parliament and called the election, seeking a public mandate for his leadership. Opposing him is Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the 73-year-old leader of the UNC, who was prime minister from 2010 to 2015. Her party has endured internal upheaval, high-profile resignations, and a string of electoral defeats, but she retains a loyal base, campaigning against the government's record on crime and the rising cost of living. The elections come on the heels of a three-month state of emergency, declared on 30 December after a wave of bloody gang warfare. Last year, T&T, which has a population of about 1.5 million, recorded 624 homicides, making it one of the most violent countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. 'Crime will be a major factor in the election because the government has been unable to take control of the situation,' Hamid Ghany, a University of the West Indies political analyst, said. The UNC has promised a range of initiatives to tackle crime, including the creation of new ministries of defence and justice. The PNM, meanwhile, has promised to modernise governance, digitise services, and improve public safety through the creation of a ministry of implementation and efficiency. An opinion poll commissioned by the T&T Guardian and conducted between 10-13 April by Ghany shows UNC leading the PNM in most of Trinidad's swing seats, while PNM retains an edge in Tobago. Among 1,650 respondents across 11 marginal constituencies in Trinidad, 45% said they would vote for the UNC if elections were held tomorrow, compared to 30% for the PNM. The survey also revealed that 61% of Trinidadian respondents were dissatisfied with the PNM's performance over the last decade. Young insists that the PNM's internal tracking shows a lead in several key constituencies. Ghany described the election as a contest between the 'working class and the privileged class'. For people like maintenance worker Clinton Brewster, 35, the gravest concern is the rising cost of living, which is outpacing salaries. 'The trade unions have sided with the UNC against the government on the need to address the concerns of the working class in attempting to repair the post-COVID economy. Class concerns have cut across race and ethnic lines, which has diminished the race factor in this election,' Ghany said. Race has historically been a fault line in local politics, with the PNM drawing support from Afro-Trinidadians and the UNC from Indo-Trinidadian communities. While both parties have repeatedly denied weaponising ethnicity, the 2025 campaign has included accusations of racial messaging in AI-generated ads and finger-pointing over class representation. A senior member of the T&T Hindu community, Dharmacharya Pandit Rampersad Parasram, said equality and equity are 'front-burner' issues. He added that while the country has had to grapple with the impact of a post-colonial legacy, 'we got independence 63 years ago. So what was then was then.' 'We just have to make sure that the gains that we have made in our fight for equality, fair play and justice, that we consolidate those gains and do not compromise them in any way. Words like equality and equity must remain important in a future Trinidad and Tobago,' he said. Beyond these internal issues, the international context is also important, Ghany said. 'This election is important in the Trump era because of the US policy towards Venezuela.' Earlier this month, the US revoked two licenses it had granted in recent years for the development of offshore natural gas projects between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, dealing a blow to the country's economic growth projections. 'The closeness between PM Young and [Venezuela's] Maduro's regime will be on the Trump administration's radar should the PNM win the election,' Ghany said. 'It is quite possible that there may be a different response from the Trump administration should the UNC win the election, given the favourable disposition of Kamla Persad-Bissessar towards Trump.'
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trinidad and Tobago votes for parliament, PM, with opposition in lead
Trinidad and Tobago votes in parliamentary elections Monday that will determine whether Prime Minister Stuart Young stays in power as the twin-island Caribbean nation battles an economic slump and a rise in gang violence. Voters will choose the 41 members of the lower House of Representatives for a five-year term. Any party that emerges with a majority of seats will form a new government with its leader as prime minister. If none does, a coalition government is likely in the nation known for attracting tourists with its carnival, nature and sandy beaches. Former energy minister Young, 50, took over as prime minister earlier this month after Keith Rowley resigned to make way for new blood. But his center-left People's National Movement (PNM) has been lagging in polls behind the centrist United National Congress (UNC) of former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, 73. "We are peaking at the right time," Persad-Bissessar -- who has campaigned on promises of higher public wages -- she said ahead of Monday's vote. Unrealistic promises, according to Young, who said "there is no way that a government, any government, could afford" the additional $2-billion bill this would entail. Trinidad and Tobago has a population of 1.4 million people, of whom just over 1.1 million are eligible to vote Monday at 2,130 polling stations countrywide. Police commissioner Junior Benjamin has warned of intelligence suggesting "that things are afoot to disrupt the electoral process," without providing details. Since December, the country was under a state of emergency that ended this month. It was declared to contend with a rise in gang-related killings. Official data shows more than 600 homicides committed in the nation last year, many of them linked to criminal gangs. According to a US Department of State report from March, the murder rate of 37 per 100,000 people made Trinidad and Tobago the sixth most dangerous nation in the world. The report said Latin American-based transnational criminal organizations operated in, and trafficked illegal goods through, Trinidad. "The country's southern border, which is approximately 10 miles from the Venezuelan coast, remained porous and vulnerable to illegal migration, drug trafficking, and human trafficking and smuggling," it said. "Venezuelan organized criminal organization and designated terrorist organization Tren de Aragua has been known to exploit this proximity for the transit of personnel and material." The Caribbean's second-largest producer of natural gas, Trinidad and Tobago has also been battling an economic downturn blamed partly on a decline in production. It had been banking on exploitation of the Dragon gas field in nearby Venezuelan waters, but has seen its licence withdrawn by the administration of US President Donald Trump under renewed sanctions against that country. pb-pgf/rr/mlr/bgs
France 24
25-04-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Trinidad and Tobago votes for parliament, PM, with opposition in lead
Voters will choose the 41 members of the lower House of Representatives for a five-year term. Any party that emerges with a majority of seats will form a new government with its leader as prime minister. If none does, a coalition government is likely in the nation known for attracting tourists with its carnival, nature and sandy beaches. Former energy minister Young, 50, took over as prime minister earlier this month after Keith Rowley resigned to make way for new blood. But his center-left People's National Movement (PNM) has been lagging in polls behind the centrist United National Congress (UNC) of former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, 73. "We are peaking at the right time," Persad-Bissessar -- who has campaigned on promises of higher public wages -- she said ahead of Monday's vote. Unrealistic promises, according to Young, who said "there is no way that a government, any government, could afford" the additional $2-billion bill this would entail. Trinidad and Tobago has a population of 1.4 million people, of whom just over 1.1 million are eligible to vote Monday at 2,130 polling stations countrywide. Police commissioner Junior Benjamin has warned of intelligence suggesting "that things are afoot to disrupt the electoral process," without providing details. Since December, the country was under a state of emergency that ended this month. It was declared to contend with a rise in gang-related killings. Official data shows more than 600 homicides committed in the nation last year, many of them linked to criminal gangs. According to a US Department of State report from March, the murder rate of 37 per 100,000 people made Trinidad and Tobago the sixth most dangerous nation in the world. The report said Latin American-based transnational criminal organizations operated in, and trafficked illegal goods through, Trinidad. "The country's southern border, which is approximately 10 miles from the Venezuelan coast, remained porous and vulnerable to illegal migration, drug trafficking, and human trafficking and smuggling," it said. "Venezuelan organized criminal organization and designated terrorist organization Tren de Aragua has been known to exploit this proximity for the transit of personnel and material." The Caribbean's second-largest producer of natural gas, Trinidad and Tobago has also been battling an economic downturn blamed partly on a decline in production. It had been banking on exploitation of the Dragon gas field in nearby Venezuelan waters, but has seen its licence withdrawn by the administration of US President Donald Trump under renewed sanctions against that country.
