By PETER GREEN
Imagine Stuart Young calling for someone to be fired! Pot calling kettle black.
Three murders in his constituency on Thursday and Young wants Roger Alexander and Wayne Sturge to be fired.
How come he didn’t call for himself and Fitzgerald Hinds to be fired?
The recent murders in and around Port-of-Spain are a matter of concern. In the space of three weeks, two children have been killed, while another witnessed the murder of his father.
As of Friday, the murder toll stood at 132 and for the same period last year, it was 135. The total figure for 2025 was 369.
So let’s us look at Young’s performance.
From the time the People’s National Movement (PNM) went into Opposition in 2010, Young emerged, landing a seat in the Senate. He clung close to then Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley. He had his eyes set on the Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West seat which was held by Patricia McIntosh.
Then came the 2015 general elections and surprise, Young was the candidate for that seat. Well, he won easily as the PNM succeeded 23-18. Young started off slowly as a Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, but he clung to Rowley’s coat tail where the PM went.
Then came his big chance for a full Ministry – he got the Ministry of National Security in 2018. At the end of that year, the murder toll stood at 517 with 66 murders in Port-of-Spain Division. At the end of 2019, the figure was 539 with 80 in Port-of-Spain.
In his first year, Young was Minister when Vaughn “Sandman” Mieres and three others were killed in Las Cuevas on July 25, 2019. That same night, Akini “Dole” Adams of Sea Lots, was killed by Police. He was a suspect in the murder of seven (7) fishermen in the Gulf of Paria four days earlier – all under Young’s tenure as Minister of National Security.
Then came 2020 and Covid. At the end of the year, it was 399 with 39 in Port-of-Spain. In 2021, Young was shifted to the Ministry of Energy, putting Hinds in the hot seat. In 2022, Young was Minister of Energy when four men died in a pipeline at Paria Fueling on February 25.
At the end of 2021, the figure went to 450; 2022 – 605; 2023 – 577; 2024 – 625. How come he didn’t ask for sleepy Hinds to be fired?
During his time in National Security, Young closed our borders during Covid keeping hundreds of nationals outside to fend for themselves. A few went to court later on and won. Nationals suffered when they were left outside.
As Minister of Energy, Young and Rowley built up a cosy relationship with Nicolas Maduro and Venezuela.
In late 2024, Rowley announced plans to step down before the next general elections due in 2025. Young, according to PNM insiders, rushed to be the next PM. Rowley endorsed him and literally begged the MPs at a caucus in Tobago in January 2025 to vote for Young. After a 11-9 vote in Young’s favour, a recount was ordered following which everyone suddenly agreed that Young be the next PM.
That day came March when Young departed and Young was sworn in as PM on March 17, 2025. The first thing he did was to appoint his Cabinet, and the second thing he did was to call a snap general election. Poor fella!
Well, on April 28, Young lost badly 28-13. If shame had a face, Young had one. Then when he thought that he would be elected political leader of the PNM, think again. The party voted for Penny Beckles-Robinson.
Young was a defeated man….a man who rose to the ranks of PM had to sit in Parliament – a battle-weary soldier.
He makes contributions in the House of Representatives, but he always seems bitter when he speaks.
Now, Belmont is part of his constituency. What has Young done as MP/Minister for his constituents. Has he ever gone into Belmont – Serraneau Road and environs and asked the youths to put down their guns? Has he ever called meetings to assist the families of crime victims? If we check, we would get the answer.
