Youth officer resigns as discord grips PNM Tobago Council

Tobago Correspondent

Claims of division, disconnect and discord have rocked the PNM Tobago Council, with two executive members resigning on the same day.

Following chairman Nicole Henry-Waldron out the door was the party’s youth officer, Carlesia Mc Ewen. Unlike Henry-Waldron, who quit the party entirely, Mc Ewen said she remains a PNM member.

In her resignation letter, dated October 1, Mc Ewen said her decision was not taken lightly. Elected just over five months ago during the party’s internal elections, she said she had a genuine desire to help develop young people, strengthen the PNM and create a platform for youths to flourish.

However, Mc Ewen said the environment was not conducive to fulfilling her responsibilities, citing a lack of internal support and a clash of principles.

“There appears to be a growing disconnect among leadership, accompanied by divisions and tensions that have extended beyond the immediate leadership structure and into the wider organisation’s membership,” she wrote.

Mc Ewen said disagreements and differences of opinion and approach were normal and healthy in organisations. However, she warned that unresolved issues and friction at the executive level were filtering down and harming the party’s supporters.

“We cannot overlook the ripple effects that prolonged discord can have on an organisation, particularly when those effects extend into its grassroots structures.”

She made it clear that her resignation was unrelated to Henry-Waldron’s.

In a Facebook post yesterday addressing the departures, PNM Tobago leader Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis said the party’s rebuilding process was continuing. She added that leadership demanded presence, commitment, accountability and a willingness to serve.

Acknowledging the long road back to office after the party’s 15-0 defeat in the January THA elections, the former Tobago West MP said: “There is no room for complacency, personal agendas or the pursuit of titles without the willingness to fulfil the responsibilities that come with them.”

Cudjoe-Lewis said her commitment as leader remained resolute. She vowed to continue leading, listening, collaborating with stakeholders and making tough decisions, and thanked both outgoing executive members for their service.

Political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath described the instability in the PNM as “normal” for a party that is out of office and still seeking a unified voice.

“The question is: how fast can the PNM pull itself together to rebuild the party in Tobago as well as in Trinidad?” he said.

Noting that THA elections are constitutionally due in 2030, Ragoonath said the party must use the time available to streamline its operations.

“They got a new political leader a few months ago, and the question is: how is that leader meshing with the remainder of the executive and are there concerns about whether they can work together to rebuild the party?”

He said that when there was no consensus on an approach, “cleaning house” took place to ensure party members were aligned with the political leader. However, he warned that those who left could take supporters with them.

Ragoonath said the PNM had previously benefited from a smooth transition from former political leader Patrick Manning to Dr Keith Rowley. He noted that whenever there was a leadership challenge, it took time for the party to settle. He questioned whether new PNM political leader Pennelope Beckles could unite the party.

“There still remains some very strong minds and personalities. The convulsions continue in Trinidad, same way it’s taking place in Tobago.”

Efforts to contact Beckles for comment were unsuccessful.