Holder interim PEP leader as PEA steps down

Chairman of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) Felicia Holder said she was appointed interim leader of the party as outgoing leader Phillip Edward Alexander intends to stay true to his promise of resigning from politics.

During his campaign, Alexander vowed to step down as leader if he could not win the Diego Martin North/ East constituency.

Speaking with Newsday on Tuesday, Holder said while the election was hard-fought, she supported her former leader's decision to step down and confirmed that she would serve as temporary leader until the PEP could hold internal elections.

"I support his decision, I know how hard of a fight this has been. As of this moment, while I think we put up a really good fight, him resigning and taking a step back might be in the best interest for him, his family and the nation to reflect on what we want as a country.

"The succession planning of the organisation was discussed prior to the election. I have stepped in for as the leader on an interim basis until such a time when we can determine a free and fair election for members to decide who they want as a political leader."

Holder said she could not give an idea as to when the elections might be, but party members intended to meet over the weekend to "decide a way forward."

Speaking with reporters on Monday night after the election results were announced, Alexander said he would keep his promise to step down and was grateful for the support of the party's candidates.

In a post on his personal Facebook account on Tuesday, Alexander said he did not trust the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) and predicted a "bleak future" for TT as he suggested that challenges of nepotism and corruption would continue under the PNM.

"PNM has no clue what to do next, so the tax man will be looking to these same people celebrating to pay the bills in a country generating almost zero income.

"I walk away knowing I fought hard to defend the people from that as a future, but ultimately you must respect people’s right to choose and make no mistake, when they ‘doing the balisier’ for the water cannons, history will recall this moment when we as a nation chose to continue to fail forward rather than try something new."