For 378,447 new reasons–which PNM obtained last Monday–T&T has seen a more relaxed Keith Rowley.
The confidence which thousands reposed in Rowley in Monday's general election made him comfortable enough at yesterday's swearing-in of his new Cabinet at Queen's Hall, to share details of how he'd once stood on that same stage to participate in a student forum and froze, unable to speak.
Rowley whose journey from dumbstruck student at Queen's Hall to being made Prime Minister at that same venue was paid in fitting musical tribute at Wednesday's swearing-in function via rendition of The Impossible Dream. Some of the sentiments which his journey may have evoked has therefore cropped up in the immediate statesman's note of his maiden speech on victory night.
That has set the tenor for his tenure and will be held up if his government strays from such tenets. Indeed, as MSJ leader David Abdulah said post-swearing-in, the administration will hardly have any "honeymoon." This, given demands presented by the country, various groups including labour and supporters, some of whom may not have properly heeded–over Monday's celebratory strains–Rowley's warnings of difficult times ahead.
Rowley has so far made efforts to redirect the energy flow from election fervour to settling down, reaching out to non-PNMites and assuring equity. How the Government–comprising seven experienced people in a Cabinet of 21–makes good on its mandate, his statements and enacts further, still necessary, healing remains to unfold.
The PNM Government will be hamstrung on special majority legislation. Parliament confirmed its 23 seats will only be enough to pass simple majority bills. This, unless Rowley secures the assistance of incoming Opposition Leader–which it's confirmed will be–Kamla Persad-Bissessar's team.
PNM's victory has elicited deep chagrin for the PP, particularly loss of St Joseph, Toco/Manzanilla and La Horquetta on which it had banked, and Moruga, a huge surprise since candidate Clifton de Coteau had been allowed to contest on the basis of strong support. But De Coteau's 10,275 votes were closely pipped by PNM's Lovelle Francis' 10,808.
PNM's Andre Monteil, keeping his vow to bring home Moruga to honour late colleague Martin Joseph–whose plan projected PNM's 23 seat win-says ex-UNC MP Winston Peters assisted him. Apart from campaign manager Rohan Sinanan, PNMites also praise Jacquie Lazarus–Rowley's DM West ops head of many years–for copping the marginals.
Jack Warner, losing the election battle, won his war with the PP, the campaign fall-out of which may have benefitted the PNM. His fate with his US case remains to unfold under new PNM Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.
For the regrouping PP, challenges ahead include the COP's future, after most COP candidates got half (or less) of respective winners' votes and ex-COP member, St Augustine challenger Nalini Dial got half of COP leader Prakash Ramadhar's 12,606 votes.
Challenges remain for Persad- Bissessar's leadership, particularly following her non-appearance at UNC's Rienzi Complex following Monday's defeat. While obviously upset, leadership would have demanded shelving of emotion in favour of comforting supporters who needed it in the face of the stunning defeat.
She may also be looked askance since PP's campaign based on "Kamla 2015" failed to resonate with all of T&T. Nor will five elections which the PP has lost under her leadership stand her in good stead as a future political option, unless the PP finds a way of recovering lost gloss.
While her stocks are strong with heartland support, the East-West corridor rode a "wave" back to PNM as it did against it in 2010. PP's first job with its time in Opposition (as the PNM did) is implementation of infrastructure and necessary work to hold its turf and woo non-traditional areas without depending on PNM flubbing. Indeed UNC's Fuad Khan narrowly held San Juan Barataria with 8,733 votes to Hafeez Ali's 8,182. UNC's St Joseph and Toco hopes, Vasant Bharath and Brent Sancho also fell by 2,000 odd votes to PNM's winners there.
Immediately, UNC/COP which hasn't an Opposition whip, begins from Tuesday planning 2016 budget responses and for UNC's leadership elections, due within two months.