In a decisive internal election held Sunday, Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis has claimed victory in a head-to-head contest for the leadership of the People’s National Movement (PNM) Tobago Council, defeating rival candidate Kelvon Morris. The former Member of Parliament for Tobago West made history as the fourth woman to hold a top national political leadership position in Trinidad and Tobago, following in the footsteps of President Christine Kangaloo, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles.
Speaking to reporters Monday outside the PNM Tobago headquarters in Scarborough, Cudjoe-Lewis called for unified action to rebuild the party’s standing in Tobago, noting that internal elections often create rifts that need mending. “My first priority will be reaching out to my challenger and every candidate who stepped forward to serve,” she said. “That work is critical to rebuilding our party, strengthening our connections, and repairing any damage done over the course of the campaign. We are one family, so we need to have those difficult conversations to move forward—we need every hand on deck to rebuild the PNM.”
Cudjoe-Lewis expressed that she feels both grateful and humbled by the outpouring of support from party members, saying she is fully prepared to take on the challenges of the new role. “I’m pleased, and I’m humbled that so many people placed their confidence and trust in me for this enormous task,” she shared. “I know this will not be easy. It will take serious commitment and discipline, but I am ready to get to work.”
With unofficial results showing she secured 63% of the vote—1,228 votes compared to Morris’ 730, ahead of the official release of full results—Cudjoe-Lewis emphasized that her victory is a win for the party’s grassroots base. She ran a people-focused, grassroots campaign centered on listening to rank-and-file members about their priorities for the PNM, a strategy rooted in her past experience as a youth leader and sitting legislator. “This campaign was about knocking on doors, calling members, and having the intimate conversations I’ve always had with our supporters,” she explained. “We connected, we listened, we engaged, and we showed up for the people of Tobago.”
Looking ahead to her first term as leader, Cudjoe-Lewis outlined an early policy priority: cleaning up and verifying the PNM Tobago Council’s membership roll to ensure more smooth internal elections in future cycles.
For his part, defeated candidate Kelvon Morris—who had earned the backing of high-profile PNM figures including former Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles and former political leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine—has extended a hand of cooperation to the new leader, saying he will fully support Cudjoe-Lewis moving forward. Morris framed unity as the top priority for the party after the election, noting that the democratic process had spoken clearly. “First and foremost, I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Mrs. Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis,” Morris said. “This is what democracy is all about: the membership has made their choice, and she has my full support, now and going forward.”
Morris pushed back against any suggestion that his association with senior party figures hurt his electoral performance, noting both candidates ran on a platform of party unity. “Mr. Charles and Mrs. Davidson-Celestine are valuable assets to the PNM, and I don’t believe my connection to them had any bearing on this result,” he said. “Nothing went wrong in this campaign. This was simply a case of members having two good options, and on this occasion they chose Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis as their preferred leader. People make their choices based on their own priorities, and I am proud of the campaign we ran.”
Morris closed by reaffirming his unwavering commitment to both the PNM and the people of Tobago. “As we move ahead, my commitment to the party remains unchanged, and Tobago will always be my top priority,” he said. “I will play my part in holding the current leadership accountable, while continuing to contribute meaningfully to the development of both our party and our island. My commitment to the people of Tobago does not end today—it continues with purpose, responsibility, and resolve.”