Rowley is PNM Leader

Rowley’s elevation to the party’s top post was assured last night when the PNM General Council ratified him as the sole nominee for that post. With the party’s constitution denying the possibility of anyone challenging Rowley at the PNM’s special convention in Chaguaramas on June 27, his election as political leader at the convention will be a mere formality.

Addressing a news conference at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain following the General Council meeting, PNM chairman Conrad Enill said: “The General Council confirmed that Dr Keith Rowley has been nominated unopposed for the post of political leader. We have made the transition from one leader to another political leader without any major issues.”

Enill explained this was so because by the time nominations for the PNM’s leadership closed at noon yesterday, Rowley was the only nominee and he had “significant party support”.

He said once Rowley is elected as leader at the convention, he will appoint four deputy leaders as is his prerogative as PNM leader. Enill said current deputy leaders Orville London, Joan-Yuille Williams, Dr Lenny Saith and Nafeesa Mohammed will remain in office until Rowley makes his choices.

Party insiders said London, who is Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary, will retain his post as PNM deputy leader (Tobago). Saith has already hinted at playing a background role in the party. Yuille-Williams said she would serve as long as the leader and the party wish her to do so.

While his position and general secretary Martin Joseph’s post have five-year terms, Enill said they would leave it up to Rowley to decide whether he felt they could best help to move the PNM forward in their current roles or elsewhere.

Enill disagreed with the view that Rowley being the only nominee for PNM political leader could create some kind of maximum leadership in the party. Describing the view that Manning was a maximum leader as “inaccurate”, Enill said Rowley had indicated that if the PNM wanted to return to office in the shortest possible time certain things had to change and this process was underway.

Approached by reporters as he left a PNM parliamentary caucus meeting which also took place at Balisier House last evening, Rowley referred all comments about the convention and the party’s leadership to Enill.