PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago — The PNM leadership crisis is at the center of an open letter by Curtis Anthony Obrady, who argues the opposition party lacks clarity, accountability, and direction. The writer contends in a letter to the editor that internal confusion within the People’s National Movement is undermining its credibility and effectiveness, amid wider debate over recent leadership fallout within the party.
Full text of the open letter
Letter to the editor Subject: Who’s Who in the PNM? A Party Lost in Itself While the Country Moves On
Dear Editor,
Who is who in the People’s National Movement today? That is not idle talk. That is the defining question surrounding the opposition at this moment, and the answer exposes a level of confusion that no serious political organization can afford.
You cannot lead a country if you cannot identify your own leadership. You cannot demand trust if your own structure is unclear. Right now, the PNM is struggling with both, and the public is seeing it in real time.
The country is watching a party that no longer presents a clear command structure. There is a political leader. There is a parliamentary leader. There are senior figures who still act as power brokers. But who is actually in charge? Who sets policy? Who speaks with final authority? The silence on these questions is not strategic. It is damaging.
Strong political organizations do not operate in confusion. Leadership is defined, disciplined, and respected. In the current PNM, leadership appears contested, fragmented, and uncertain. That is reflected in their public conduct, their statements, and their inability to maintain a consistent national message.
Listen to their voices. One says one thing, another contradicts. One takes a position, another retreats. That is not coordination. That is disorder. The country understands exactly what that means. If a party cannot align itself internally, it cannot manage national affairs.
This is about performance and structure. Trinidad and Tobago face real challenges that require serious engagement. Crime, economic recovery, energy sector stability, and public service reform demand clarity and execution. These are not areas for confusion.
Yet the PNM is distracted. It is caught in internal positioning while the national conversation moves forward without it. An opposition that does not command attention becomes irrelevant. An opposition that cannot organize itself cannot organize a country.
Record matters. The decision to shut down Petrotrin remains one of the most damaging economic moves in recent history. Thousands of workers were displaced. Communities were affected. Economic ripple effects spread across sectors. Experts raised concerns about the approach and the speed, and those concerns were not properly addressed.
The consequences are still present. Accountability is required in public life. Yet the PNM continues to struggle with owning its decisions in a direct and transparent way.
On economic management, the data is clear. Periods of low growth, rising fiscal pressure, and limited diversification reduced opportunity. Businesses felt it. Workers felt it. The country felt it. These are measurable outcomes that define credibility.
Now examine their response to criticism. Instead of clear answers, there is deflection. Instead of accountability, there is blame shifting. That approach weakens the institution. A party that avoids responsibility cannot rebuild trust.
At the same time, thank goodness for our people’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and our people’s United National Congress government for stepping in and fixing the mess created by that same who is who PNM during its time in office. The contrast is visible. Leadership is clearer. Decisions are more coordinated. There is active work to stabilize key sectors and restore confidence. The country is seeing movement, not confusion.
This is where the PNM problem goes deeper than leadership titles. It is about identity. What does the party stand for today? What are its priorities? What is its plan for the economy, for national security, for reform? These questions require direct answers, and the country is not getting them.
Instead, the public sees a party trying to manage internal tensions while projecting relevance. That does not work. You cannot repair public confidence while internal confusion continues. Real strength comes from internal clarity.
You also cannot ignore generational change. Younger citizens are not tied to legacy politics. They are focused on results. They ask direct questions. What have you delivered? What will you do differently? Where is the evidence? The PNM is not effectively answering those questions.
Political relevance is not permanent. It must be maintained through performance and credibility. Right now, the PNM is losing both. Its inability to clearly define who leads and who decides is driving that decline.
A functioning democracy needs a strong opposition. That is a fact. The government must be challenged. Policies must be tested. Decisions must be scrutinized. But that only works when the opposition is credible, organized, and serious. The current state of the PNM does not meet that standard.
This is a call for clarity. The country benefits when all political forces operate at a high level. Right now, one of those forces is not meeting that responsibility.
So the question remains. Who is who in the PNM? Who holds authority? Who defines direction? Who takes responsibility when things go wrong? These are basic questions that demand direct answers.
Until those answers are provided, the party will continue to appear uncertain, divided, and disconnected from the people it seeks to represent. That is not sustainable. Voters are paying attention. They are making decisions based on performance, not loyalty.
The path forward is clear. Establish defined leadership. Present a coherent policy agenda. Accept responsibility for past decisions. Engage the public with honesty and precision. That is how credibility is rebuilt.
Anything less keeps the PNM exactly where it is now. Questioned, divided, and struggling to remain relevant in a country that is moving forward.
The people of Trinidad and Tobago deserve clarity, accountability, and results. The PNM must decide if it is prepared to meet that standard.
Curtis Anthony Obrady
