- 10 months ago
Stuart Young was sworn in as Prime Minister
The election date was called
And international observers were invited to oversee the general election
The election date was called
And international observers were invited to oversee the general election
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Good evening and welcome to the past seven days on six. I am Renessa Cutting. As what
00:22made the news this past week, Stuart Young was sworn in as Prime Minister. The election
00:28date was called and international observers were invited to oversee the general election.
00:35As per usual, if it was happening, it was on six. Let's get right into it.
00:40A new chapter has begun. The words of this country's new Prime Minister, Stuart Young,
00:47after he took his oath of office last week. He promised that his administration will be about
00:52unity, among other objectives. It was a historic and unprecedented moment.
01:00I, Stuart Richard Young, do swear by Almighty God that I will bear true faith and allegiance
01:10to Trinidad and Tobago and will uphold the Constitution and the law, that I will
01:18conscientiously and impartially, and to the best of my ability, discharge my duties as Prime
01:26Minister. Unlike the other seven Prime Ministers before him, Senior Counsel Young took his oath
01:32of office as the head of the government before the holding of a general election, as outgoing
01:37Diggle Martin West MP, Dr Keith Rowley, officially began his retirement as the head of the government.
01:44The new Prime Minister is also not presently the leader of the party to which he belongs.
01:50As we begin this new chapter together, this is my commitment to you. I will lead with integrity,
01:58inclusion and accountability. We will harness our unique strengths, diversity and aspirations
02:09to build a future where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive. We will put aside
02:16differences, leverage our collective experiences and expertise and champion the necessary reforms
02:26to transform and strengthen our nation and uplift our people. Among those present for the beginning
02:35of that new chapter at President's House were the Chief Justice, government MPs and Prime
02:41Minister Young's two sons, his mother, father, brother and sister-in-law. After having taken
02:48his oath of office and receiving his instrument of appointment from President Christine Kangaloo,
02:54the new Prime Minister spoke with the media. One of the things that TV6 News has sought
02:58clarification from the new Prime Minister is an issue that is one of a diplomatic nature.
03:05The matter resulted from what the British government has said was a significant increase
03:09in the number of unjustified asylum applications by Trinidad and Tobago nationals at the UK border.
03:16The government of Trinidad and Tobago has said these were a relatively small number of persons.
03:22Will one of those priority issues for US Prime Minister be the issue with the UK,
03:26the visa regime and so on because Dr Rowley had very strong comments about that at the
03:31PNM meeting last night. We have already engaged the UK government with the people here. Also,
03:38at least one of their government ministers, I've already had a meeting with that government
03:43minister virtually. I've made certain requests and yes, that is one of the areas. I will fight
03:49for Trinidad and Tobago in every way possible to build a better Trinidad and Tobago from the strong
03:55foundation that we have. Opposition leader Kamala Prasad Bisesa has questioned the foundation
04:00of Mr Young's appointment as Prime Minister as she claims it is unconstitutional and has
04:05threatened legal action on behalf of her party. It is up to the leader of the opposition and
04:11every citizen of Trinidad and Tobago is how they want to go forward with Trinidad and Tobago.
04:16I am not going to be hindered in any way by anyone who does not want what is best for Trinidad and
04:21Tobago. There may be legal parameters etc but so be it and let's wait. Let's wait and see how it
04:28unfolds. I'm not going to presuppose it but I will do all I can on your behalf. I have said I
04:33will continue to fight for Trinidad and Tobago. I will continue to do what I need to do to build
04:39a better Trinidad and Tobago. So I ask the opposition and the leader of the opposition
04:44to join with me to build a better Trinidad and Tobago and that's as much as I can do
04:48and I ask that with clean hands and a clean heart. Prime Minister Young maintained a focus
04:54of his new administration is unity. Jule Brown TV6 News. Well just one day later the new prime
05:02minister called the election date. So I'm wondering whether it be this or other issues
05:08what can the population expect from your administration given the fact that apart
05:14from governmental decisions like by cabinet but there's no opportunity for legislative
05:21interventions of any kind. Thank you very much. I took a decision as the prime minister
05:29to call an election the day after I was sworn in and that is because I as well as the government
05:38that I lead and the party that I'm the chairman of have a lot of things that we want to do as we
05:46write the next chapter. I've talked about unification personally for me to unify the
05:52country and bring the country on board to build on what we have. I don't want the distraction
05:59whilst governing. The prime minister then referred to the general election campaign.
06:06So I took that decision call an election at the earliest possible literally the early
06:11as possible date so the country the population now have an opportunity in the next few weeks
06:17to listen to both sides and others and to make a decision about who is going to take Trinidad
06:23until we go forward. But amid damaging witness accounts of Young's behavior during his secondary
06:29school days the opposition called on the population to remove the big bully Rowley
06:35and the younger bully Stuart Young come April 28th. As more accounts of a childhood incident
06:43involving prime minister Stuart Young surface, UNCMP Khadija Amin is calling on PNM MPs to stand
06:50up and speak out. Where are your voices after Stuart Young was gifted prime minister why are
06:57suddenly silent? I feel these fellows are being bullied by the political leader of the PNM
07:06because all of them had the opinion and all of them get called into a room and it was the
07:12greatest benovo before the carnival. And while Young has not confirmed or denied the allegations
07:19but has instead pledged to use his office to address bullying. Amin is reminding the population
07:25of Young's recent hot mic incident in the parliament which the house speaker had described
07:31as derogatory, homophobic and misogynistic. In that clip you heard him saying unspeakable
07:39things. I don't want to repeat it. You heard him using obscene language and we heard Embert
07:45and his other colleagues giggling in the background. You know why? They are accustomed
07:52to Stuart Young behavior. They are accustomed to his abusive obscene behavior. So today my friends
08:00I tell you Stuart Young has refused to take responsibility and apologize. And this my
08:08friends is just a pattern. It's just a pattern in the behavior throughout the years. He has been a
08:15consistent bully and now we understand why he is the number one choice for Keith Rowley to choose
08:25to replace him as acting prime minister. The UNCMP also took the opportunity to point out that Dr
08:32Rowley remains the political leader of the PNM as she called on the country to vote for change come
08:38April 28th. April 28th we must all say no to bullying with our index finger. We must say no
08:49to the dictatorship. We must say no to the illegal appointment of a prime minister with our index
08:56finger. We must remove Rowley. Stuart Young is not in charge you know. Stuart Young not in charge.
09:04He's just a little puppet in front there. He's a little boy a little child they put him in front there.
09:09But the real bully is in charge. We must remove Rowley the bully and Stuart Young the younger bully.
09:16Renassa Cutting TV6 News. We had a quick break. We'll have more news when we return.
09:22Welcome back. Prime Minister Stuart Young is scheduled to travel to Jamaica on Wednesday
09:34for high-level discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. A media release from the
09:40office of the prime minister said that the discussions will focus on U.S. foreign policy
09:45and its impact on Trinidad and Tobago as well as the wider Caribbean region.
09:51The prime minister highlighted that this engagement aligned with his commitment
09:55to maintaining ongoing dialogue with the U.S. administration at the highest levels ensuring
10:01that the interests of the people of TNT remain a priority. Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs
10:07Dr. Amy Brown will accompany the prime minister on the trip. Also happening last week Prime
10:14Minister Stuart Young promised a brand new ministry that he said will cut through bureaucratic systems
10:21and deliver projects and plans in quick time once voted into office on April 28.
10:28Let me tell you all what my government on April 29th of this year will have.
10:39I am going to introduce for the first time a ministry of implementation and efficiency
10:47in the government of Trinidad and Tobago out of the office of the prime minister.
10:51Prime Minister Stuart Young says far too many times the population hears of projects over and
10:57over and years and years pass before they see any sign of commencement if at all. Having been given
11:04the position of head of government recently in the PNM's 10th consecutive year in office,
11:09Young says a ministry to target certain inefficiencies is the answer. Because for too
11:15long things get lost in abeyance and that ministry will have the ability when I as prime minister say
11:24hey you see that deep water harbour I need that done when I need this done and I need that done
11:29that ministry will have the ability to go in to get the inefficiencies done across the system
11:36to break the bureaucracy within the confines of the law but to get things done because Trinidad
11:42and Tobago deserves better. Speaking at the opening of the Labre community centre on Friday morning,
11:48Prime Minister Young told the community that the deep water Panamax dry docking facility that has
11:54been in conversation for many years is still on their agenda and it's one such project this
12:01new ministry could help get off the ground.
12:03We are doing the work. It is the environmental laws that we have that say well you have to see how the ocean
12:18going and you have to see how it's going to affect the seabed and you have to see how it's going to
12:22affect the environment etc and I keep saying well boy those are academic conversations you know we'll
12:28protect the environment I am told that we're in the process of getting the CEC from the EMA
12:37it's taken too long in my view so that's another thing I'm going to be looking at
12:41as a lawyer how do we review and amend the law to protect the environment but to allow
12:47progress to take place because Labre deserves that facility. On Friday, Prime Minister Young
12:55lobbied for the support of Labre as he opened one project and promised three more having been
13:01given the reins of government by his party he's hoping the population follows suit. It's a new
13:07chapter it's a new chapter where once again we have broken glass ceilings that shouldn't exist
13:15no one can change the past we're all in charge of our present and then we can all dream
13:22and have hope for the future. Cindy Raghuvati Kersing, TV6 News. Young also confirmed the last
13:29week that his administration has invited international election observers to join
13:35those from CARICOM who will be in this country for the general election this followed a call
13:41for international observers from opposition leader Kamala Prasad Bissessa. Trinidad and Tobago's new
13:47Prime Minister Stuart Young said during his first post cabinet media briefing that Thursday marked
13:53the second cabinet meeting since he and his ministers took their oaths of office on Monday.
13:59The new Prime Minister then referred to his announcement on Tuesday that the 2025 general
14:04election shall take place on April 28th. We as a government and certainly as a party
14:12intend to have free and fair elections as we've always had and as the EBC has always carried out
14:18in Trinidad and Tobago but we learn from our mistakes we learn from history meaning that we
14:24see every time a particular party loses an election in Trinidad they look for every excuse
14:31as to why it is they've lost and they run to the courts etc. Prime Minister Young was responding
14:36to opposition leader Kamala Prasad Bissessa's letter to him on Wednesday in which she wrote
14:41that despite the government's invitation to CARICOM observers the opposition strongly believes
14:47that independent non-Caribbean international observers are necessary to ensure a free
14:53and fair electoral process. Prime Minister Young referred to what he called a spurious
14:58allegation. And I'm referring to former Tunisian General Reginald Amor and the fact that his wife
15:03now works at CARICOM is completely ridiculous but not surprising. So we have invited CARICOM
15:09and CARICOM is on its way for April 28th. But Prime Minister Young then announced that
15:15international observers have also been invited. Before I saw the letter from the leader of the
15:22opposition I had also dispatched an official letter as the Prime Minister to the Right Honourable
15:28Baroness Patricia Scotland, King's Council, Commonwealth Secretary General requesting that
15:34the Commonwealth Secretariat provide observers as well to Trinidad and Tobago's election. We will
15:42invite the Carter Centre as well to send people here to come and observe free and fair elections.
15:48The Prime Minister said he instructed the foreign minister on Thursday to officially invite the
15:53observers from the US-based Carter Centre. Jewel Brown TV6 News. And PDP leader Watson Duke will be
16:01contesting the Tobago East seat for the upcoming general election. He said he's confident of a
16:07PDP victory come April 28th. The people of Tobago East have requested and I have consented to run
16:17for the Tobago East seat. The people of Tobago West have requested a particular individual
16:25and he has consented. The Tobago West representative for the PDP is to be
16:30announced on Monday at 10am. On Monday 10am I will be disclosing that person who will be running
16:43for Tobago West. Together we would make a formidable dynamic duo representing Tobago
16:53in its fullness and its strength. Duke said the interest of Tobago must be defended in the
17:00parliament. This time around Trinidad would understand their voices in Tobago to represent
17:09Tobago Indians 100%. No longer are we going to send representatives down to Trinidad to just
17:18vote with the masses. No. They must stand up and defend the interests of Tobago.
17:25Elizabeth Williams TV6 News. This is the past seven days on six. We'll be right back.
17:32Welcome back. While the newly appointed attorney general Camille Robinson-Ritchie is confirmed
17:37that she is a non-practicing member of the law association but maintained that this does not
17:43affect her appointment as attorney general under the constitution. The UNC raised questions as to
17:50her ability to carry out the core function of the office. Here's more. Camille Robinson-Ritchie
17:56While the newly appointed attorney general maintains that her appointment is legal
18:02despite not being a practicing attorney the UNC is casting serious doubt on her ability to carry
18:08out her functions in the absence of a valid legal practice. The UNC has also raised questions
18:15as to whether she is a non-practicing member of the law association but maintained that this does
18:22to carry out her functions in the absence of a valid legal practicing certificate.
18:28The role of the attorney general is a sacred role. The attorney general is the chief legal advisor
18:34to the cabinet. Although an attorney at law would not if she doesn't go to court personally on
18:41behalf of the state herself. When a person holds out themselves to be an attorney at law and gives
18:47advice that is practicing law. The fact that you are giving advice you are guiding the cabinet
18:55you are practicing law. On Thursday the attorney general admitted that she had stopped paying fees
19:00to the law association back in 2001. The law association's website indicates that it is an
19:08offense to practice law without a current valid practicing certificate. That my brothers and
19:14sisters is a fundamental point because Camille Robinson Regis has admitted that she is not the
19:21holder of a practicing certificate so she cannot advise the cabinet. What is she going to do? Pick
19:27up a legal opinion from the law office or any ministry and just hand it to you? That's not how
19:31it works. When you're in a cabinet and a matter comes up for deliberation you will give advice.
19:37You will seek counsel if you need to get external counsel but you have to give advice. So Camille
19:43Robinson Regis is playing smart with foolishness. On Thursday the AG told the express court section
19:5024-2 of the legal profession act makes provisions for non-practicing members to obtain a practicing
19:57certificate once their circumstances have changed. I am confident given my qualifications if the need
20:04arises I will obtain same end quote. Hossain is urging her to do just that as he claims the PNM
20:13has brought the office of the attorney general into disrepute. It's not as easy as that you know
20:19as an attorney at law who does not pay their fees for 12 months
20:24you know what the process is? She has to file an action in court, file an affidavit in support of
20:32that claim asking the court and begging the court to issue her a practicing certificate and she has
20:38explained why she didn't pay for those number of years. So how embarrassing it is
20:46when an attorney general has to go before a high court judge to say please give me a practicing
20:50certificate. Shameful. A new SSA head was appointed last week but security expert Paul Daniel who said
20:59the new director of the strategic services agency should be someone without backage.
21:06Prime Minister Stuart Young told the post cabinet media conference that as of April 1st Arthur
21:12Barrington the former head of the special branch will be the head of the SSA. Today Nahus tells
21:19the morning edition he has some concerns. Given all of the bacchanalia that has taken place over
21:25the last couple of years at SSA and even before that in and out of the SSA I think you need to
21:31put somebody as the head who would not be bringing that type of baggage in or not bring that lack of
21:39confidence by certain sectors. Arthur Barrington was part of a team that investigated the firearm
21:45users license for sale matter in the police service. The issue of it is that his involvement
21:52in the firearm or if they want to call it the firearm or if that happened a few years ago that
21:58you could say had led to the collapse of the police service commission in that it was a
22:04minority report delivered and the report seems to me to be incredibly subjective. Nahus says
22:12something has to be done to rebuild the image of the SSA. It cannot be business as usual. Have
22:18they reached a point where the public has no confidence in how they operate and have the
22:26scandals gone far enough that there's no salvage in that reputation and the answer that may very
22:33well be yes. Nicole M Romney TV6 News. Sport is up next keep it here.
22:46In sport TNT drew first blood as they left Cuba with an important 2-1 lead
22:52in their CONCACAF gold cup first leg playoff in Santiago. TNT had to come from behind after
22:58Cuba took the lead before Isaiah Lee and Stephan Yates sealed the match in the second half.
23:05Missing key attackers in Kevin Malino and Levi Garcia,
23:08Dwight York handed Tyrese Spicer his debut along with Isaiah Lee.
23:15But the hosts wasted little time seizing the advantage.
23:18They didn't want to and Cuba with a chance.
23:24Cuba have taken the lead. Cuba were threatened to increase their advantage after that.
23:29Who shot what the best out of Denzel Smith. But the 2024 MLS top draft pick
23:34Tyrese Spicer showed his versatility to pick out Lee.
23:40A fairly open first half as both teams looked for more goals but went into the break at 1-1.
23:48After winning five corners in the first half TNT would take advantage of the first in the second.
23:57Stephan Yates the man on the spot to seize the advantage for the soccer warriors.
24:07TNT would continue to push coming extremely close here.
24:10And Cuba would have their chances too.
24:18TNT resisted well but only the post again would prevent the visitors from a third.
24:25Regardless TNT would get the job done as they left Santiago with a 2-1 advantage
24:30ahead of the return leg. Terence Clark, TV6 Sport.
24:40And turning to track and field. Track athlete Michel Leailly reached as far as the semifinals
24:46of the women's 60 meters competing at the World Indoor Championships.
24:51Leailly finished sixth in a time of 7.31 seconds but missed out on qualification.
24:57Italian Zainab Duso won the semifinal in a time of 7.07 seconds while second and third
25:05went to Great Britain's Amy Hunt and China's Xiaojing Liang.
25:10And that's a wrap on the past seven days on six Ironman as a cutting.
25:15If you didn't catch this segment in its entirety you can find it on our website
25:23www.tv6tnt.com and you can find all these stories and more on the TV6 mobile app.
25:28Thanks for choosing TV6 and do have a great evening.
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