Kamla Persad-Bissessar completes 15 years as UNC leader, says 2010 will be repeated in 2025

In 2010, the UNC leader succeeded the party’s founder-leader and former prime minister Basdeo Panday as its chief and went on to become the country’s first woman prime minister a few months later, winning the national election.

Written by Amara Campbell

2025-01-27 20:06:33

Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the current Opposition leader, on Friday, January 24, 2025, completed 15 years at the helm of her United National Congress (UNC) party. Surrounded by ecstatic leaders and supporters of her outfit at its headquarters in Chaguanas, the veteran leader said the UNC came to power in May 2010, four months after she took over the party’s reins, and history will be repeated in 2025. The twin-island Caribbean nation is set to go to general election later this year.  

In 2010, the UNC leader succeeded the party’s founder-leader and former prime minister Basdeo Panday as its chief and went on to become the country’s first woman prime minister a few months later, winning the national election. 

She served till 2015 and lost two consecutive elections. In 2025, she is eyeing a return to power defeating the People’s National Movement (PNM) which has been in power for a decade. 

Speaking to media representatives on Friday evening, Persad-Bissessar said, “Today, the 24th of January, we celebrate 15 years of the leadership of the UNC. And if history repeats itself, 2010, 24th January I became the leader of this party and by May, our party became the ruling party in government, so we will repeat that history in this year's 2025 election. And you could see the amount of interest there is in the party, all our activists out here. So, I want to thank all that have come out, all those that have put their names forward for screening.”

UNC’s crucial candidate screenings underway

The UNC leader and her party colleagues interacted with the media ahead of screenings for two crucial seats for the general election – Naparima and Chaguanas West – which were allegedly held by “dissident” members. 

When the media asked her about the possible outcome of the screenings for the two seats, Bissessar-Prasad said, “In the Naparima eat, the sitting MP has not put his name forward to be screened. So obviously, there will be a new person screened out of the many to represent Naparima. 

“For Chaguanas West, Mr Rambally (MP Dinesh Rambally represents the Chaguanas West constituency) indicated he would attend to be screened. We will give all the nominees a fair hearing and make the decision at the end of the day in the best interest of our party and the best interest of the country.”

UNC chairman Dave Tancoo said later that the results of the screenings for the two seats will be announced this week. He also informed that one candidate for the Fyzabad constituency was also screened on Friday.

When the media asked Persad-Bissessar about Tancoo saying in the past that there would be a faster roll-out of prospective candidates, the UNC leader asked the latter to answer it. He said the roll-out process will continue and Persad-Bissessar will announce the names of the selected candidates. 

The UNC chief, who represents Siparia in Parliament, said more than 200 people came forward to nominate their names and the screening process would take some time. 

Five UNC MPs under scanner

Five sitting UNC MPs -- Anita Haynes-Alleyne (Tabaquite), Dr Rai Ragbir (Cumuto/Manzanilla), Rodney Charles (Naparima), Dinesh Rambally (Chaguanas West) and Rushton Paray (Mayaro) -- have been labelled “dissidents” for some of their recent conduct. 

They called for the party’s internal poll to be held last year and criticized Persad-Bissessar’s leadership and the party’s national executive. They also questioned the party’s ability to win the 2025 election under the current leader and former PM. 

They were also slammed by the part supporters for being absent during a government motion to extend the time to present information to the auditor general. They were also conspicuous by their absence during the party’s anniversary event. Last September, they were not invited to an election-preparation meeting that the UNC held at its headquarters. 

Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives has 41 seats and to form government, a party/alliance has to get 21 seats. In the 2020 election, the ruling PNM got 22 seats while the UNC won 19.