Amid swirling rumours surrounding the reason behind his last-minute decision to withdraw his consent to be screened for the Diego Martin West constituency, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne is keeping his reasons close to his chest.
However, unlike his colleague, Laventille East-Morvant MP Adrian Leonce, who similarly pulled out of the race at the last minute, Browne denied it was for the same reasons.
He told Guardian Media, “It has nothing to do with any personal reason.”
On January 10, Browne penned a letter to the party’s general secretary, Foster Cummings, indicating his consent to be nominated for the Diego Martin West seat.
One week later, on January 17, Browne sent a withdrawal letter to the Diego Martin West constituency executive.
The selection process narrowed the field to five prospective candidates, but only two had confirmed party group support: media personality Hans de Vignes (12 groups) and executive vice chairman Yokymma Bethelmy (2 groups).
Browne’s decision to drop out of the race has spurred claims that he received no support from party groups and that he was forced to drop out.
But Browne is choosing not to pay naysayers any mind.
Asked to respond to people saying he was forced out of the race and des Vignes is going to be selected to represent PNM at the polls for Diego Martin West, he said, “I don’t want to get into the to and fro on those type of matters. It’s never really been my style, and it never will be.”
Asked if he was stepping down from representational politics this time around or if he was planning to screen for another constituency, he said. “I don’t have any constituency. What I can tell you is my focus at this time is exclusively on being the best possible Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs.”
Browne served as Diego Martin Central MP for two consecutive terms from 2007 to 2015.
On January 3, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced his intention to resign.
Following his announcement, Browne was considered the front-runner to replace Rowley in the seat.
Guardian Media reached out to Rowley for comment on this issue but received no response up to press time.
When Guardian Media visited Rowley’s constituency, many constituents said they hoped Browne would be the PM’s replacement.
Asked what he now has to say to those people, he replied, “My only message to supporters of Amery Browne, if such a thing exists, is to continue to work hard, to step forward in every respect with integrity, with dignity, with decorum, with regard for each other, and for the beautiful diversity of Trinidad and Tobago. Never lose hope. Never lose faith and never lose strength to try a bit harder tomorrow.”
Also out of the race is incumbent La Brea MP Stephen Mc Clashie.
Mc Clashie was the only incumbent MP rejected for re-selection by the PNM’s screening committee on December 2.
The party instructed the La Brea constituency executive to find and screen new candidates, as they also rejected Jillon Lewis.
Mc Clashie told Guardian Media, “I am out of the race completely. We have two candidates that are going before the screening committee, Jermel Pierre and Randall Mitchell, and they both will be screened on Thursday.”
Asked if he was disappointed being overlooked, he said, “I have a philosophy that says, and this is just me, it is as it was supposed to be”, and therefore all that has culminated in this particular decision, I trust God that all those things were conspiring towards my betterment.”
But this may not be the end of the road for him, as he revealed he is still willing to serve the nation.
Mc Clashie said, “I am not expecting to be offered anything, but if I am and I feel good about it, I will offer myself to serve.”
He also asked his constituents to forget the “petty politics” and put the PNM back in office.
