The Electoral College Friday elected the first woman as the sixth Head of State of Trinidad and Tobago with both Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar saying she was the best person suited for the position.
Retired Justice Paula Mae Weekes, was the sole nominee to replace President Anthony Carmona, whose five-year term of office ends in March.
Prime Minister Rowley said that the former Court of Appeal judge here and in the Turks and Caicos Islands, who is not married and has no children, had been a trail blazer and is now poised to become the first female Head of State of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
“As a young nation, we can indeed be proud of the fact that our democracy and all our governance systems are open to all our citizens. Today, for the first time, a woman is set to hold the highest office in the land,” he told the College, comprising legislators from both the House of Assembly and the Senate.
In her congratulatory statement, Persad Bissessar, the first woman to be elected to head a government here, said it is the Opposition’s hope that the new head of state “will discharge her duties and responsibilities as our Head of State impartially and with compassion, striving at all times to enhance our democracy”.
She said while significant progress has been made in building “our democracy and our public institutions …we have much to do to ensure that our citizens are adequately served.
“We must continue to focus on improving transparency and accountability, and in working to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our institutions. The Opposition maintains its commitment to collaborating with stakeholders in making this a reality, for the benefit of our people,” she said.
Congrats where is the party?