Kamla: A Defining Moment

This book sets out to look specifically at the 44 days between Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s announcement on 12 December 2009 that she would challenge Basdeo Panday for the leadership of the United National Congress (UNC) and her victory on the evening of 24 January 2010. In order to fully appreciate what took place during this narrow window in her political journey, it was necessary to put the spotlight on a period prior to her announcement and then go beyond 24 January 2010 leading to her overwhelming success in the 24 May 2010 General Elections. Kamla became the first female Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.This book is about my own reflection of her struggle to win in the face of serious odds, and the way she handled attacks on her character and ability. I happened to be in the theatre of action when this 44-day challenge to Panday’s leadership began. It was then that I witnessed first-hand the dark side of “realpolitik” in all its raucous machinations. A woman dared to challenge the guru for the second time. Hulsie Bhaggan was the first and she quickly faded into political oblivion. Twenty years later enters Kamla Persad-Bissessar with another challenge. It is not business as usual for Panday when his political leadership is threatened. Breaking the glass ceiling in the UNC in 44 days was a daunting and bruising challenge. Kamla deserves our admiration for taking up the gauntlet in a hostile environment charged with recrimination and insults. Kamla had not anticipated such an intensely bruising political battle to win over the leadership of the UNC at such a time when the party was struggling to be relevant. Even after winning the leadership battle she had to struggle to become Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. How Kamla handled power after she became Prime Minister is still being analyzed. Her coalition, the People’s Partnership, delivered services, but at questionable costs. The stench of corruption sullied her administration. What started off with a widely acclaimed “serve the people” mantra ended in a stunning defeat at the polls on 07 September 2015. She led the UNC back to square one. Read more