Kamla Persad-Bissessar is the seventh Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the first woman to hold the position. She has been the Prime Minister and political leader of the United National Congress, a coalition of three of the country’s political parties, since May 26, 2010. She was the first woman to serve as the country’s Attorney General, as well as the first female Chairperson-in-Office and Opposition Leader. In Trinidad and Tobago, she began her political career as a member of parliament for the Siparia seat. She has additionally served as the Minister of Education. While she generally keeps her family and personal life private, she is well-known for her exceptionally ecumenical perspective on religious and spiritual topics. In addition to her accomplishments as a woman in office, she is renowned for her efforts to enhance her country’s educational system. She is frequently portrayed, particularly during elections, as a politician who hails from a modest, rural background but has pursued a high degree of education by attending top U.S. colleges.
Youth and Early Life
Persad-Bissessar was born in Siparia, a rural village in southern Trinidad, on April 22, 1952.
She took an interest in technology and novels as a young girl.
She began her education in 1957 at the Moss Road Hindu School in a rural area, and afterward attended Erin Road Presbyterian School and Siberia Union Presbyterian School.
She graduated from one of the five Presbyterian secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago, Iere High School.
Kamla Persad’s Career
After graduating from high school, she pursued additional education, first at the University of the West Indies and then at Norwood Technical College (in England), ultimately earning a Bachelor of Arts in Education with honors.
She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study at Columbia University in New York, but she instead sought a Bachelor of Law degree at Hugh Wooding Law School.
She began working as a high school teacher in both Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica after completing her education.
She served as an alderman in the St. Patrick County Council from 1987 until 1991.
She took the Oath of Allegiance on 1 November 1994 to represent the United National Congress in Opposition.
Persad-Bissessar became a member of parliament beginning in 1995.
She was also the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago from November 27, 1995, until February 2, 1996.
She became the Minister of Education for Trinidad and Tobago on October 22, 1999, a position she maintained until 2001.
On October 5, 2001, she was sworn in for the second time as the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago; this time, she served for around two months.
In 2002, the United National Congress returned to the Opposition, and four years later, Persad-Bissessar served as the Opposition Leader on behalf of her party.
In 2006, she earned an Executive Master of Business Administration from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, a Trinidadian university.
On February 25, 2010, she was appointed opposition leader once more.
Persad-Bissessar became the first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on May 26, 2010.
Awards & Achievements
She became one of the youngest instructors at the UWI Mona campus at the age of 25.
During her time at Hugh Wooding Law School, she received awards for Outstanding Student and Best Overall Performance.
During her tenure as Minister of Education, she successfully implemented a policy of universal secondary education throughout Trinidad and Tobago, establishing 32 new schools and modifying the standardized admission exam to reflect more modern and relevant evaluation criteria.
Her tenure as the first female Prime Minister in Trinidad and Tobago’s history is arguably her most well-known accomplishment.
Personal History and Legacy
Dr. Gregory Bissessar and Kamla Persad-Bissessar have a son together.
Estimated Net worth
Kamla Persad-bissessar is one of the wealthiest and most prominent politicians. According to our research, Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider, Kamla Persad-bissessar has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million.
Trivia
Regarding religion, she states, “I was baptized into the Baptist faith.” I have no distinct religious affiliation. I am of both the Baptist and Hindu faiths.