Keith Rowley

Keith Christopher Rowley (born 24 October 1949) is a Trinidadian politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 2015 to 2025. He was the leader the People's National Movement (PNM) from 2010 to 2025 and was Leader of the Opposition from 2010 to 2015. He also served as the Member of the House of Representatives for Diego Martin West from 1991 to 2025. He is a volcanologist by profession, holding a doctorate in geology, specializing in geochemistry.

Early life Rowley was born in Mason Hall, Tobago, raised by his Afro-Tobagonian grandparents, who were prominent Tobago farmers. He was a pupil of Bishop's High School in Tobago, and graduated from the University of the West Indies (Mona) from where he graduated with a BSc. Geology (First Class Honors). He then went on to earn an MSc (1974) and a PhD (1978) from the University of the West Indies at St. Augustine in geology, specializing in geochemistry. At the university, as researcher, he held the positions of research fellow and later as head of the Seismic Research Unit. Rowley was general manager of state-owned National Quarries Company Limited as well. He was then elected political leader of the People's National Movement as he was seen as the most capable to lead the party. As political leader he advocated implementation of the one man, one vote system within the party. Rowley has served on several parliamentary committees. In 2004, he chaired the Joint Select Committee of Parliament which examined and made recommendations for the live broadcasting of parliamentary debates. He served as the representative governor of Trinidad and Tobago for the Inter-American Development Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank. He becomes the seventh Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the second Tobago-born Prime Minister. Rowley again led the People's National Movement to victory in the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election for a second term in government under his premiership. He was sworn in as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago on 19 August by President Paula-Mae Weekes at the President's House in St. Anns after the opposition party asked for recounts to be done in marginal constituencies.

In April 2018, 82 Venezuelan asylum seekers were deported from Trinidad and Tobago, which violated international laws on the matter. Given the criticism issued by UNHCR, he says would not allow the UN or any other agency to "turn his country into a refugee camp". Venezuelan migrants in Trinidad and Tobago are victims of widespread discrimination, since unlike other countries, no refugee reception plan has been implemented on the islands so it is hard to find legal work without being sent back.

During his tenure, on 5 February 2022, the Trinidad and Tobago coast guard fired upon a vessel with Venezuelan migrants while attempting to stop it, killing a nine-month-old baby and injuring his mother. The coast guard claimed that the shots were fired "in self-defense". Rowley deemed the action "legal and appropriate"; the Trinidadian police and coast guard opened an investigation of the event.

At the PNM convention in August 2024, Rowley announced his support for the Caribbean Court of Justice to replace the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as Trinidad and Tobago's final court of appeals. He also announced his government would legislate to remove Christopher Columbus's ships from the national coat of arms and replace them with the steelpan drum, which had been declared the official national music instrument a few months earlier. He stated that the changes would "signal that we are on our way to removing the colonial vestiges that we have in our country".

Cabinet He appointed the following people as his cabinet: +OfficialPositionFaris Al-RawiMinister of Rural Development and Local GovernmentKazim HoseinMinister of Agriculture, Land and FisheriesNyan Gadsby-DollyMinister of EducationStuart YoungMinister of Energy and Energy IndustriesColm ImbertMinister of FinanceAmery BrowneMinister of Foreign and CARICOM AffairsTerrence DeyalsinghMinister of HealthCamille Robinson-RegisMinister of Housing and Urban DevelopmentStephen McClashieMinister of LabourReginald ArmourAttorney GeneralFitzgerald HindsMinister of National SecurityPennelope BecklesMinister of Planning and DevelopmentAllyson WestMinister of Public Administration Marvin GonzalesMinister of Public UtilitiesDonna CoxMinister of Social Development and Family ServicesShamfa CudjoeMinister of Sport and Community DevelopmentRandall MitchellMinister of Tourism, Culture and the ArtsPaula Gopee-ScoonMinister of Trade and Industry Enterprise DevelopmentRohan SinananMinister of Works and TransportFoster CummingsMinister of Youth Development and National ServiceAvinash SinghMinister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and FisheriesLisa Morris-JulianMinister in the Ministry of EducationBrian ManningMinister in the Ministry of FinanceAdrian LeonceMinister in the Ministry of Housing and Urban DevelopmentRenuka Sagramsingh-SooklalMinister in the Office of the Attorney General and Legal AffairsAyanna Webster-RoyMinister in the Office of the Prime MinisterStuart YoungMinister in the Office of the Prime MinisterSymon de NobrigaMinister in the Office of the Prime MinisterHassel BacchusMinister of Digital TransformationRichie SookhaiMinister in the Ministry of Works and TransportRef:

Personal life He is married to attorney-at-law Sharon Rowley and has three children,