The twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago will have for the first time, a female Prime Minister when Kamala Persad-Bissessar takes the oath of office later on Wednesday. Persad-Bissessar won general elections two days ago in a land slide when her People’s Partnership coalition party swept incumbent Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s PNM from office by winning 29 of the 41 contested seats.
Persad-Bissessar, 58, who was elected leader of the United National Congress (UNC) in January earlier this year, ousted the party’s founder Basdeo Panday and formed the People’s Partnerhip coalition, to contest the May 24, 2010 election.
In 2000 when the UNC formed the government, Persad-Bissessar was sworn in as the Minister of Education and has been the first woman to serve as Attorney General, acting Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition.
The new prime minister has pledged to bring “an end to divisive politics” which has its roots in the ethnic divide that characterizes much of what take place in the twin-island Republic. Persad-Bissessar has said that no one will be left behind and no ethnic group or social class will dominate. Only time will tell whether or not such promises will be fulfilled.
Meanwhile, the Caricom Observer Mission who monitored Monday’s election hailed the conduct as “free, fair and transparent” and “without fear and intimidation”, according to news reports. There was a 70 percent voter turnout at the polls on election day.
