People's Partnership

Last updated

People's Partnership
AbbreviationPP
Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar
FounderKamla Persad-Bissesar
FoundedApril 21, 2010 (2010-04-21)
DissolvedDecember 8, 2015 (2015-12-08) [1] [2]
Merged into UNC, COP, TOP, MSJ and NJAC
Headquarters Couva, Couva–Tabaquite–Talparo, Trinidad and Tobago
NewspaperThe Voice
Ideology Social democracy
Third Way
Political position Centre-left
Colors  Yellow
Website
http://peoplespartnership.unitednationalcongress.org

The People's Partnership (PP) was a political coalition in Trinidad and Tobago among five political parties: the United National Congress (UNC), the Congress of the People (COP), the Tobago Organization of the People (TOP), Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) and National Joint Action Committee (NJAC). The political leader was Kamla Persad-Bissessar. [3] The coalition was formed in advance of the 2010 general election attempting to form a multi-ethnic opposition bloc against the People's National Movement (PNM) government led by Patrick Manning. [3] The coalition won the 2010 General Elections defeating the People's National Movement on May 24, 2010. On September 7, 2015, the coalition was defeated in the 2015 General Elections to the People's National Movement led by Keith Rowley. The coalition saw the departure of the Movement for Social Justice in 2012 [4] [5] [6] [7] and eventually disbanded on December 8, 2015. [1] [2]

Contents

Formation

On January 24, 2010, Kamla Persad-Bissessar was elected political leader of the UNC, emerging victorious over the party's founder, Basdeo Panday. She was formally appointed opposition leader on February 25, 2010.

On April 21, 2010 at Charlie King Junction, Fyzabad, a "Unity Accord" also known as the "Fyzabad Declaration" was signed by the UNC political leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, COP political leader Winston Dookeran, NJAC chief servant Makandal Daaga, TOP political leader Ashworth Jack, and president of the Movement for Social Justice, Errol McLeod. [8]

On May 24, 2010, the People's Partnership led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar defeated the People's National Movement by securing 29 out of 41 seats in the House of Representatives. [9] Persad-Bissessar was sworn in as the first female prime minister by President George Maxwell Richards, where Anand Ramlogan was sworn in as Attorney General on May 26, 2010. Shortly thereafter, the People's Partnership won the 2010 local elections on July 26, 2010, securing a majority in the local corporations.

Turbulence

On June 17, 2012, the Movement for Social Justice severed ties with the coalition citing poor governance. [4] [5] [6] [7]

On January 21, 2013, the Tobago Organization of the People, lost all 12 electoral seats in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections to the People's National Movement.

On April 21, 2013, one of the coalition's financiers, Minister of National Security, and Chairman of the United National Congress, Jack Warner resigned two days after an investigation accused him and his one-time ally Chuck Blazer of "fraudulent" management at Concacaf, [10] a regional football confederation. His resignation triggered a by-election in the Chaguanas-West constituency which he won three months later on July 29, 2013, under his newly formed Independent Liberal Party.

On July 30, 2013, Member of Parliament for St. Joseph, Herbert Volney resigned as Minister of Justice and the UNC party due to the "Section 34" fallout. His resignation also triggered a by-election in the St. Joseph constituency which was lost to the People's National Movement on November 4, 2013.

The People's Partnership also lost the Local Government Elections on October 25, 2013 to the People's National Movement. This meant that the coalition lost a total of four successive elections in one year.

Allegations were also raised on May 20, 2013 known as the "Emailgate" [11] scandal regarding a criminal conspiracy in September 2012 against Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, as well as a plot to harm and discredit a newspaper reporter Denyse Renne, and the payment of monies in exchange for freedom by an unnamed person.

Then Opposition leader, Dr Rowley read a thread of 31 email messages in the Parliament purporting to be a conversation between four people, whose email accounts were similar to those of the then Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, National Security advisor Gary Griffith, and Works and Infrastructure Minister Suruj Rambachan. Six years later on July 17, 2019, the police investigation into the case has been officially closed with no charges being laid. [12]

Electoral defeat

In the 2015 general election, the People's Partnership Government was defeated by the People's National Movement only winning 18 of the 41 seats; 17 were won by the United National Congress, and 1 by the severely weakened Congress of the People. The remaining coalition partners, the Tobago Organization of the People and the National Joint Action Committee failed to win a seat and have quietly departed from the coalition party. Persad-Bissessar was appointed Leader of the Opposition by President Anthony Carmona on September 21, 2015, to form the UNC led Opposition party in the 11th Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Trinidad and Tobago</span>

The politics of Trinidad and Tobago function within the framework of a unitary state regulated by a parliamentary democracy modelled on that of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, from which the country gained its independence in 1962. Under the 1976 republican Constitution, the monarch was replaced as head of state by a President chosen by an electoral college composed of the members of the bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Manning</span> Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago

Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning was a Trinidadian politician who was the fourth prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago; his terms ran from 17 December 1991 to 9 November 1995 and from 24 December 2001 to 26 May 2010. He was also the political leader of the People's National Movement (PNM) from 1987 to 2010. A geologist by training, Manning served as Member of Parliament for the San Fernando East constituency from 1971 until 2015 when he was replaced by Randall Mitchell and was the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives. He was the Leader of the Opposition from 1986 to 1990 and again from 1995 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United National Congress</span> Political party in Trinidad and Tobago

The United National Congress is one of two major political parties in Trinidad and Tobago and the current parliamentary opposition. The UNC is a centre-left party. It was founded in 1989 by Basdeo Panday, a Trinidadian lawyer, economist, trade unionist, and actor after a split in the ruling National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR). After spending six years in opposition, the UNC won control of the government in 1995, initially in coalition with the NAR and later on its own. In the 2000 general election, the UNC won an absolute majority in the Parliament. In 2001, a split in the party caused the UNC to lose its parliamentary majority and control of the government. From 2001 to 2010, the UNC was once again Parliamentary Opposition party. In May 2010, the UNC returned to government as the majority party in the People's Partnership. The UNC's Political Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, was sworn in as the first female Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. Kamla Persad-Bissessar was Prime Minister from 2010 until 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamla Persad-Bissessar</span> Trinidadian and Tobagonian politician, lawyer, and the 6th prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago

Kamla Persad-Bissessar ; born Kamla Susheila Persad, 22 April 1952), often referred to by her initials KPB, is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian lawyer, politician and educator who is the Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago, political leader of the United National Congress (UNC) political party, and was the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 26 May 2010 until 9 September 2015. She was the country's first female prime minister, attorney general, and Leader of the Opposition, the first woman to chair the Commonwealth of Nations and the first woman of Indian origin to be a prime minister of a country outside of India and the wider subcontinent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basdeo Panday</span> Trinidadian politician (1933–2024)

Basdeo Panday was a Trinidadian and Tobagonian statesman, lawyer, politician, trade unionist, economist, and actor who served as the fifth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2001. He was the first person of Indian descent along with being the first Hindu to hold the office of Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He was first elected to Parliament in 1976 as the Member for Couva North, Panday served as Leader of the Opposition four times between 1976 and 2010 and was a founding member of the United Labour Front (ULF), the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), and the United National Congress (UNC). He served as leader of the ULF and UNC, and was President General of the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers' Trade Union from 1973 to 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congress of the People (Trinidad and Tobago)</span> Political party in Trinidad and Tobago

The Congress of the People (COP) is a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Its current political leader is Kirt Sinnette. Its symbol is the "Circle of Circles".

General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on 5 November 2007. Nomination day was 15 October. Five parties contested the elections; the ruling People's National Movement, the official opposition United National Congress–Alliance, the Congress of the People, the Tobago United Front–Democratic Action Congress and the Democratic National Assembly. Five independent candidates also ran.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devant Maharaj</span>

Devant Maharaj is a Trinidad and Tobago politician, and social activist. He is a leading member of the United National Congress. On 27 June 2011, he became a member of the Senate of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Minister of Transport following his appointment as Chairman of the Public Services Transport Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago.

Winston Edward Peters, also known by his sobriquet Gypsy, is a Trinidad and Tobago politician and calypsonian who served as Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Community Development in the People's Partnership Coalition led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Peters also served as Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism from 27 May 2010 to 22 June 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Trinidad and Tobago general election</span>

General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on 24 May 2010. The date of the general elections was announced by Prime Minister Patrick Manning on April 16, 2010, via a press release. The election was called over two years earlier than required by law. Polls showing that the UNC-led opposition coalition was likely to win the election were confirmed by the subsequent results.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Carmona</span> President of Trinidad and Tobago from 2013 to 2018

Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona is a Trinidadian politician who was the fifth President of Trinidad and Tobago from 2013 to 2018. Previously, he was a High Court Judge at the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago, and he served as a Judge of the International Criminal Court from 2012 to 2013.

Gary Griffith is a former commissioner of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, having served a term in office for the period 18 August 2018 to 17 August 2021 Under the previous government, led by a coalition including the party currently in Opposition, he had been appointed as Minister of National Security in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday 6 September 2013. Between May 2010 and September 2013, he had served as National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister. Griffith was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force for 15 years, where he attained the rank of captain in 1998. He retired his Commissioned Officer position in May 2005. This attainment to the rank of captain was achieved after just six years service, which was an unprecedented achievement. He was the first military officer from this country to return home with a United Nations Peacekeeping Medal. He has also received the Efficiency decoration medal [EDM] for 12 years distinguished service as well as the Meritorious medal for duties performed during the 1990 attempted coup in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Trinidad and Tobago general election</span>

General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on 7 September 2015. The date of the general elections was announced by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on 13 June 2015. The result was a victory for the opposition People's National Movement, which received 52% of the vote and won 23 of the 41 seats in the House of Representatives.

Camille Robinson-Regis is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian lawyer and politician, representing the People's National Movement. She was first elected as a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for Arouca South in 1992 and is the current Member of Parliament for Arouca/Maloney. She is the Minister of Planning and Development, the Lady Vice-Chairman of the People's National Movement, and the Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election</span>

General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, 10 August 2020, to elect 41 members to the 12th Trinidad and Tobago Republican Parliament. It was the 14th election since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1962 and the 22nd national election in Trinidad and Tobago ever. Tracy Davidson-Celestine, political leader of the Tobago Council of the People's National Movement (PNM) became the first woman to lead a Tobagonian political party with representation in the House of Representatives. Additionally, two of the three largest parties elected in 2015, the United National Congress (UNC) and the Congress of the People (COP), were led by women.

The 2020United National Congress internal election was held on Sunday, 6 December 2020, after Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the current leader of the UNC, faced losses commencing in January 2013 with the wipeout of her People's Partnership-led administration from the Tobago House of Assembly at the 2013 election, loss in the 2015 Trinidad and Tobago general election and loss in the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election. The candidates for political leader were incumbent Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Team Star against former member of parliament for St. Augustine and former Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment in the People's Partnership's government, Vasant Bharath, on Team Lotus. Former senator and Minister of Transport in the People's Partnership's government, Devant Maharaj, was an early candidate for political leader, but was never formally nominated as he dropped out on nomination day on the 15th of November 2020, citing irregularities in the voting process. He endorsed Vasant Bharath and Team Lotus. Kamla Persad-Bissessar won with of 87.15% of the votes, while Vasant Bharath got 12.85% of the votes.

Khadijah Ameen is a Trinidad and Tobago politician representing the United National Congress. She has served as a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for St. Augustine since the 2020 general election. She is the current deputy political leader of the UNC and the Shadow Local Government Minister.

Siparia is a parliamentary electoral district in Trinidad and Tobago in the south of Trinidad. It has been represented since 1995 by Kamla Persad-Bissessar of the United National Congress.

The 2022 United National Congress internal election took place on 26 June 2022. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, political leader of the United National Congress, Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago, former Prime Minister, and Member of Parliament for Siparia, went up for re-election with her slate of candidates on the Star Team. The Star Team ran unopposed for all but three three post in the UNC's national executive. These three candidates were independent and were not part of a slate of candidates. Fuad Khan, former Minister of Health in Persad-Bissessar's government and the former Member of Parliament for Barataria/San Juan challenged Persad-Bissessar for the post for political leader of the party. The internal election was meant to set the stage of the UNC's national executive (NATEX) for the upcoming local elections and to start preparing for the 2025 Trinidad and Tobago general election.

Garvin Edward Timothy Nicholas is a Trinidad and Tobago politician and former diplomat. He served as a temporary Opposition Senator representing the United National Congress (UNC) in the 8th Republican Parliament and the 10th Republican Parliament. He was the Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2010 until 2013 and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for Trinidad and Tobago to Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Germany. He served as the Attorney General for Trinidad and Tobago from 3 February 2015 until 17 June 2015. He is the leader of the Movement for National Development (MND), a political party which contested the 2020 general election.

References

  1. 1 2 "Prakash Ramadhar on Partnership". 9 December 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 @samnanton (8 December 2015). "Register" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. 1 2 Hutchinson-Jafar, Linda (22 April 2010). "Trinidad opposition forms unity pact for elections". Reuters India. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Then there were four" Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine , Breaking News Trinidad and Tobago, 21 May 2012.
  5. 1 2 Cecily Asson, "MSJ Out Partnership", Newsday, 18 June 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Trinidad’s Movement for Social Justice Leaves Coalition Government", Caribbean Journal, 18 June 2012.
  7. 1 2 John Spence, "A movement for social justice" Archived 2017-02-02 at the Wayback Machine , Trinidad Express newspapers, 26 July 2012.
  8. ↑ "Unity Accord signed". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday Archives. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  9. ↑ "Woman prepares to take over in first for Trinidad and Tobago". Vancouver Sun. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2010.[ dead link ]
  10. ↑ "Jack steps down as UNC chair". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  11. ↑ "Trinidad & Tobago: Invented E-mails or Political Demise? · Global Voices". Global Voices. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  12. ↑ "'Emailgate' investigation is over". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.