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Pennelope Beckles-Robinson

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The Honourable
Pennelope Beckles
Beckles in 2022
9th Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2025
PresidentChristine Kangaloo
Prime MinisterKamla Persad-Bissessar
Preceded byKamla Persad-Bissessar
Minister of Planning and Development
In office
16 March 2022 – 1 May 2025
Prime MinisterKeith Rowley
Minister of Housing and Urban Development
In office
19 August 2020 – 16 March 2022
Prime MinisterKeith Rowley
Succeeded byCamille Robinson-Regis
Deputy Speaker of the Parliament
In office
2007–2010
Prime MinisterPatrick Manning
Member of the
Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago
for Arima
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 August 2020
Preceded byAnthony Garcia
Majority5,388 (40.0%)
In office
11 December 2000 – 24 May 2010
Preceded byRupert Griffith
Succeeded byRodger Dominic Samuel
Personal details
Born (1961-09-12) September 12, 1961 (age 63)
Borde Narve Village
Political partyPeople's National Movement
Spouse
Noel Robinson
​
(m. 2008)​
NicknamePenny

Pennelope Althea Beckles-Robinson (born 12 September 1961) is a Trinidad and Tobago attorney and politician. She has served as a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for Arima since the 2020 general election. She is the incumbent Leader of the Opposition. Previously she was the country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, as well as Minister of Planning and Development.

Early life and education

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Beckles was born on 12 September 1961 in Borde Narve Village, three months before parliament history was created in Trinidad and Tobago growing up without electricity or running water.[1][2] Her father, Lionel Beckles, worked for the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union and she has four brothers and one sister.[3] She attended St Raphael's Grade School and St Joseph's Convent, San Fernando.[4] She graduated from the University of the West Indies, Barbados, and the Hugh Wooding Law School.[1][4]

Career

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Beckles has practised as an attorney since 1988,[1] attached to the Chambers of Theodore R Guerra and Associates.[4]

Beckles first entered parliament when she was appointed an opposition Senator for the People's National Movement (PNM) in 1995. She was then elected to the House of Representatives representing the Arima constituency in 2000, serving until 2010.[4] She was appointed Minister for Social Development in 2001, Minister for Culture and Tourism in 2002, and Minister for Public Utilities and the Environment in 2003.[1]

Beckles was Trinidad and Tobago's first female Deputy Speaker of the Parliament from 2007 until 2010 and served as Leader of Opposition Business from 2010 until 2013.[1][4] In November 2012, she was elected lady vice-chair of the PNM,[2] but she was dropped from the senate by party leader Keith Rowley in December 2013.[5][6] In May 2014, Beckles unsuccessfully challenged Rowley for the leadership of the party.[7][8] On 4 February 2015, she was rejected in her bid to represent the PNM for the constituency of Arima in the 2015 general election.[9]

Beckles was appointed Trinidad and Tobago's Permanent Representative to the UN by Prime Minister Rowley in August 2016.[1][10][11] She postponed taking up the appointment to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Patrick Manning in July.[12]

She was appointed as Minister of Planning and Development on 16 March 2022 following a cabinet reshuffle.[13]

Following the 2025 Trinidad and Tobago general election, on Wednesday, 30 April 2025, she was selected to be Leader of the Opposition within the People's National Movement by a slim 7-6 margin.[14] She is the PNM's first female opposition leader.[15]

Personal life

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Beckles married Noel Robinson in December 2008,[16] and she has four stepchildren.[1] She also became the guardian of her ten-year-old niece after her sister Michelle died in 2015.[9]

Electoral history

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2025 Trinidad and Tobago general election: Arima[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PNM Pennelope Beckles-Robinson 7,055 49.8% Decrease19.25
UNC Nigel Moses 6,356 44.9% Increase16.2
PF Jemima Lezama-Redhead 520 3.7% Steady
NTA Shekhina Sirju 152 1.1% Steady
THC Marcus Ramkissoon 27 0.2% Steady
NCT Nalini Dial 38 0.3% Steady
Majority 699 4.9
Turnout 14,167 49.19%
Registered electors 28,802
PNM hold

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "New Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago Presents Credentials". United Nations. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  2. ^ a b Rambally, Rhonda Krystal (4 November 2012). "She's of good political stock". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  3. ^ "Penny's dad in her corner". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Ms. Pennelope Beckles, MP". Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
  5. ^ Ragoonath, Reshma (9 December 2013). "Beckles insists she remains loyal to PNM". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  6. ^ Lord, Richard (4 December 2013). "Strategic Move: Rowley eyes 2015 after shake-up". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  7. ^ Fraser, Mark (22 March 2014). "Penny's Relative Held in Gun Raid". Saturday Express. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  8. ^ "The PNM election race is on". Saturday Express. 14 March 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Penny: Difficult time with Family Issues". Trinidad Express. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  10. ^ Sorias, Leah (11 February 2016). "Rowley picks Pennelope as UN Ambassador". Trinidad Express. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  11. ^ Taitt, Ria (3 April 2016). "PNM makes changes to its constitution". Saturday Express. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  12. ^ Kong Soo, Charles (3 July 2016). "Penny postpones UN appointment following Manning's death". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  13. ^ "The Honourable Pennelope Beckles-Robinson | Ministry of Planning and Development". planning.gov.tt. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  14. ^ Rupert, Enrique (30 April 2025). "Pennelope Beckles-Robinson set to become Opposition Leader". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  15. ^ "Cheers as Penny makes history". Trinidad Express Newspapers. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  16. ^ "A wedding story". Saturday Express. 24 December 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  17. ^ ELECTIONS AND BOUNDARIES COMMISSION. PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 2025. DETAILED PRELIMINARY RESULTS Archived 2 May 2025 at the Wayback Machine
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