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Karen Nunez-Tesheira during an interview at her home in St. Ann’s. – AYANNA KINSALE
Karen Nunez-Tesheira believes it is time to address the issues in the PNM and the country, to rebuild a strong foundation of the party and actually practise integrity.
With her two children being adults and having no financial responsibilities, she believes this is the time for her to try to make an impact. And she is doing so by contesting the post of political leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM).
She said her policy is never to destroy what others built, especially that which was founded and well-constructed by the “Father of the Nation,” Dr Eric Williams.
That is why, she said, she will not attack the party for its shortcomings, but is instead looking to improve it, to restore the faith of those who have left and attract new members.
An attorney-at-law, Nunez-Tesheira said since the intention of a political party is to form the government, it is like a “dress rehearsal” of what to expect when the party goes into leadership.
Therefore, the party’s structure and how it manages its business is important. And she will be guided by Article II of the party’s constitution, which addresses its aims and objectives.
“I will only say there is clearly a sense of alienation, there is clearly a sense of disconnect between the government leadership and the people of this country who put it in power. They (PNM parliamentarians) have shot themselves in their foot by saying things like, ‘Use a coal pot,’ ‘Stop eating macaroni pie and ham,’ ‘Why you on the road at 8am and wasting fuel?’
She said it reminded her of the saying usually attributed to queen of France Marie Antoinette, who said, “Let them eat cake,” when she was told the peasants had no bread. It showed how disconnected she was from the suffering of her people, while she lived a life of extravagance. Marie Antoinette was later guillotined during the French Revolution.
“For it to appear that there are only certain persons in this country, whether by your policies, lack of policies, implementation or lack of implementation, benefiting (from the party’s governance), something has to be wrong. And you cannot fix what you do not acknowledge.
“Doing this is not to destroy the party. Hopefully, it would address the fissures, the cracks, to address the issues that are challenging the party, so that we could build back a strong foundation that does not only talk of democracy, integrity and transparency, but live it out.”
She said that is why she has been adamant about finding out how the Election Supervisory Committee will be securing the ballot boxes for the internal elections to take place on November 26 and 27 and December 4. She has also requested clear communication of guidelines for new registrants.
“Does that inspire trust and confidence? It seems self-serving. The persons controlling this thing have a vested interest in the outcome, and yet those are the persons keeping the boxes.
“In the national elections there is an independent body, the EBC (Elections and Boundaries Commission), and there is a reason for that – you do not want the integrity and transparency to be compromised.”
Outside politics
Nunez-Tesheira, who grew up in Clifton Hill, Point Fortin with her parents and ten siblings, has written three books: Commonwealth Caribbean Family Law: Husband, Wife and Cohabitant (2016); Non-contentious Probate Practice in the English-speaking Caribbean (2004); and The Legal Profession in the English-speaking Caribbean (2001).
She said she has always put her children first so they never doubted her love, and now she has two grandchildren whom she adores, Zane, nine, and Zaiden, four. She said they, and her siblings, know she loves politics and support her in her bid for political leader, even as they keep her “in her place” and grounded.
“My children are big, they are grown up. If I don’t do it (run for political leader) now, I won’t do it again. There won’t be another time for me.”
Political beginnings
Nunez-Tesheira became actively involved in politics while she was senior tutor at the Hugh Wooding Law School, St Augustine, and a lecturer for the business law module at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business.
One of her students gave her the opportunity to participate in the process of electioneering, and since she was against the ideals of the United National Congress and truly believed the PNM had the interest of the country at heart, she decided to do her part and began campaigning for PNM candidates.
Karen Nunez-Tesheira looks through a brochure during an interview at her home in St Ann’s. – AYANNA KINSALE
“It wasn’t about me being a PNM member, it was about me being a Trinidadian and Tobagonian. That was really what it was. I was always very politically aware, and I loved the politics, and was interested in what was happening in my country. So when the offer came to me to get my feet wet, so to speak, I took it.”
She said her late husband, Russell Tesheira, who grew up on Nelson Street, Port of Spain, and was a Clico insurance executive, was a “PNM till yuh dead,” so he supported her.
At the time she did not personally run for any position, because she knew it was a very demanding and time-consuming job.
“I would not have gone for the position of MP, because I put my marriage and my children first and foremost. And I know if you get involved in politics, it’s almost your whole life. It could have a very devastating effect on a marriage and on family life, because it’s almost a jealous mistress. And there was no way I was going to put getting at that level of politics before my husband, my marriage, and my children. I absolutely was not going to jeopardise that.”
After her husband died in 2004, the same student approached her to “try her hand” at running for MP.
She said, initially, she did not believe the late Prime Minister Patrick Manning was considering her, but she understood his Vision 2020 plan and believed in it. He assigned her to the “safe seat” of D’Abadie/O’Meara, believing she could carry out the policies he set out in the plan.
She won the seat, but was shocked when he gave her the finance portfolio, leading her to became Minister of Finance from 2007-2010. She said his confidence and trust then, and during that period, was rewarding.
She believed he wanted to leave a legacy and ensure he dealt with the “big issue” for TT – crime and its causes. Under his supervision she was responsible for the Revenue Authority, the “sunset clause” in an effort to shut down illegal gambling, the Financial Intelligence Unit, and more.
After election loss
Nunez-Tesheira said when the party lost the 2010 general election to the People’s Partnership coalition, the members were “shellshocked.” She was approached to become an opposition senator, but decided to take a step back from politics.
She went to Barbados and, from 2010-2014, was a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Cave Hill Campus, UWI.
“I chose, at that time, to pull myself away from the politics. And I think there was a lot of – in my view – disharmony within the party. I saw and heard things that made me uncomfortable, and I just wanted to stay out of it and not be negative or destructive in any way.
“I will say that I have, and still continue to have, a deep loyalty and respect for Patrick Manning, what he believed in for the country, and what he meant to the country.”
When she returned to TT, she again wanted to contribute to the development of the country. Over the last three years she has written a series of articles dealing with various topics including cultural tourism, the agro-industry, systemic racism in covid19, and more, and contributed to discussions of national interest in the media.
“I never was thinking about going back into active politics. But people were reading my articles and seeing me on different shows doing interviews, and obviously it was resonating with people.”
Back in the fray
To her surprise, in September, she was approached to be a candidate for PNM political leader. She believed the person thought she was a good candidate because she had “no cocoa in the sun” and was not beholden to anyone. Also, she had been a government minister and had political experience.
Karen Nunez-Tesheira peruses one of her books, Commonwealth Caribbean Family Law, during an interview at her home in St. Ann’s. – AYANNA KINSALE
She said when she was minister, people had confidence the government would “sort out” the 2007-2008 global financial crisis, and it had dealt with the CL Financial bailout in such a way that people did not have to panic.
Asked how she is dealing with negativity and social media trolls, she replied that she isn’t.
She said she completely ignores social media and limits her consumption of traditional media. Other than that, what she has to know, her team informs her.
“I don’t have time for that. You’re going to make yourself angry, anxious, unfocused, dislike people. Why you doing that? People have their agenda and you just can’t bother with those things. It’s not helpful and it can subconsciously affect you.”
The CLICO controversy
There had been allegations of Nunez-Tesheira’s using insider information to protect her assets since she broke her fixed deposits at the now defunct CLICO Investment Bank (CIB) weeks before a billion-dollar bailout of CL Financial was brokered in January 2009.
Over the years, she has repeatedly said she had taken her funds from CIB in December 2008, before she learnt of CIB’s troubles in mid-January from then Central Bank Governor Ewart Williams.
She had said her reason for doing so was because her husband had been badly treated by Clico and its former executive chairman Lawrence Duprey, and she wanted to cut ties with Clico. She said it was a coincidence and not because she had any inclination that something was happening at CIB which would place her investment at risk.
Asked by Sunday Newsday to comment on that issue, she said, “I think I’ve exhausted the topic, so what I would say is, ‘Go and ask the Prime Minister now, because he has the report (of the commission of inquiry). He would have a good indication of any wrongdoing on my part.’
“I have addressed it as best as I can, as openly as I can, and I don’t seek any protection.
“I think it’s time for the PM to say what it is, as a PNM member. We could have differences, but we’re all in the same party. If there is something he knows that could clarify the issue, I would welcome him revealing it.”
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