PM Young defends early election call, invites international observers to ensure transparency

Trinidad and Tobago: The newly appointed Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Stuart Young, on Thursday, defended his decision to call an early general election. He said that his decision comes as he did not want any distractions and want the population to choose, at the earliest possible time, who they want to lead them.  

He also invited international and regional observers for the April 28, 2025, general elections, brushing aside the calls being made by the leader of the main opposition United National Congress Kamla Persad Bissessar requesting foreign observers for the upcoming elections.  

Earlier this week, Persad Bissessar sent a letter to the PM indicating that she was renewing her call for independent international election observers to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process. However, Prime Minister Young's invitation to international observers is seen as a move to demonstrate his government's commitment to free and fair elections, amidst opposition concerns about the legitimacy of the electoral process. 

Prime Minister Young made the statement while he was speaking at his first post-cabinet press briefing after he was sworn in as the country’s 8th Prime Minister on Monday. He called elections just a day after he was sworn in by President Christine Kangaloo at the House of the President.  

During the conference, he further said, “I took a decision as the Prime Minister to call an election the day after I was sworn in, and that is because I, as well as the government that I lead and the party that I'm the chairman of, have a lot of things that we want to do as we write the next chapter.” 

Young took over the reins, only as PM, from Dr Keith Rowley, who remains the political leader of the People’s National Movement. The election is being held four months prior of the 5th anniversary of the ruling PNM’s 2nd consecutive victory in August 2020 when it secured 22 out of 14 seats in the Parliament with the rest of them going to the main opposition UNC.  

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar had hinted at the UNC aiming to take legal action regarding Young’s appointment and referred to it as a ‘bloodless coup’.  

When asked if he had been receiving advice from Dr. Rowley, Young said that such was not the case, as the former Prime Minister was in retirement. “Dr Rowley is not holding my hand, he is someone that I’ve worked very closely with for nine and a half years that I have tremendous respect for,” he outlined.  

While talking about inviting foreign observers for the upcoming elections, Young said arrangements have been put in place for Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to monitor the elections and added that he has also asked observer teams from the US-based Carter Center and Commonwealth Secretariat.  

He added that official letter has been sent to these organisations, requesting them to observe the elections carefully.