A major victory in Trinidad and Tobago

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Trinidad and Tobago has a new government.

Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley and his People’s National Movement won the country’s election on Monday, ousting the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Rowley will be the country’s new Prime Minister, succeeding Persad-Bissessar, whose term was marred by a series of high-profile cabinet reshuffles.

It was a major turn of politics for the twin-island country, shifting from Persad-Bissessar’s coalition, which had held 29 of 41 seats in Parliament to the PNM’s new government, which took 23 of 41 seats, according to preliminary results.

The Independent Liberal Party, led by the controversial Jack Warner (whose extradition is being sought by the United States government over alleged improprieties during his work with global football governing body FIFA) failed to win a seat.

“I want to thank Trinidad and Tobago for demonstrating once again that we can conduct ourselves in a manner that is worthy of the name Trinidad and Tobago,” Rowley told the media.

In a statement, Persad-Bissessar conceded defeat, saying she was “happy to be a citizen.”