Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce- Independent Senator to Moderate Local Government Debate

Independent Senator to Moderate Local Government Debate

The July 22 Local Government debate, organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Debates Commission (TTDC), will be moderated by Independent Senator, Mrs. Helen Drayton.

Senator Drayton is an Adjunct Faculty Member at the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Chairman of the Caribbean Procurement Institute and a member of the Board of SERVOL.

TTDC Chairman and President of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Angella Persad, said the Commission was “pleased to have received the support of such an outstanding public personality, known for her fairness and independence, to play such a role in the debate.”

Senator Drayton will preside over a live 90-minute debate broadcast on radio and television at 8.05 p.m. on Thursday July 22.

Both the People’s Partnership (PP) and People’s National Movement (PNM) have agreed to participate in the debate and have nominated two representatives each to debate the issue: “Local Government serves no public purpose except to consolidate or undermine the interests of the party in power.”

Senator Drayton said she was “keen on being a part of this historic event.” She added: “Activities such as these can play a big role in bringing the issues of the day to the population in an environment conducive to frank and open discussion.”

Persad said the TTDC is hoping the debate will “aid considerably in enhancing the quality of public discourse on the value and role of local government.”

“We will also have the opportunity, under fair and controlled circumstances, to listen to the differences in approach of the political contestants,” she said. “In this regard, the role of a strong moderator is important and we believe we have found the perfect person.”

Senator Drayton has spent most of her professional life in the banking industry. She has held the posts of Director Group Marketing and Corporate Communications at RBTT Bank, Director Group Human Resources, President ROYTEC, Member of the Board of Directors of RBTT Bank Limited, RBTT Trust Limited, RBTT Services Limited and Chairman of the Royal Bank Education Foundation.

She is passionate about community service and has served on the Boards of Red Cross Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Blind Welfare Association, Express Children’s Fund, United Nations Small Grants Committee, Community Chest Limited, and Blood Bank Association.

Senator Drayton has also served as Vice President of the World Federation of the United Nations Association for two consecutive terms having been elected at the Plenary Sessions in Spain and Argentina, and was President of the United Nations Association of Trinidad and Tobago.

This author, newspaper columnist and painter holds an Executive Masters in Business Administration (MBA), a Certificate in Strategic Human Resources from the Harvard Business School and a Certificate in Procurement from the Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.

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