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Christine Carla Kangaloo ORTT (born 1 December 1961)[5] is a Trinidadian politician, who is the president of Trinidad and Tobago since 2023. She was president of the Senate of Trinidad and Tobago from 2015 until her resignation to run for president in 2023. She is the only person to serve as both President and Vice President of the Senate of Trinidad and Tobago, the first woman to serve as Senate Vice President and third woman to serve as acting President of Trinidad and Tobago and Senate President. She became the second woman to serve as President of Trinidad and Tobago upon her assumption of office on 20 March 2023.[6][7][8] Kangaloo has served as an Opposition Senator, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Minister of Legal Affairs and Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education[9] in previous People's National Movement governments.[10]
Christine Kangaloo | |
|---|---|
 Kangaloo in 2008 | |
| 7th President of Trinidad and Tobago | |
| Assumed office 20 March 2023[1] | |
| Prime Minister | Keith Rowley |
| Senate President | Nigel de Freitas |
| Preceded by | Paula-Mae Weekes |
| President of the Senate of Trinidad and Tobago | |
| In office 23 September 2015 – 17 January 2023 | |
| President | Anthony Carmona Paula-Mae Weekes |
| Prime Minister | Keith Rowley |
| Preceded by | Raziah Ahmed |
| Succeeded by | Nigel de Freitas |
| Member of the Senate | |
| In office 23 September 2015 – 17 January 2023 | |
| Succeeded by | Richie Sookhai |
| Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education | |
| In office 8 November 2007 – 25 May 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Patrick Manning |
| Preceded by | Mustapha Abdul-Hamid |
| Succeeded by | Fazal Karim |
| Member of Parliament for Pointe-à-Pierre | |
| In office 5 November 2007 – 8 April 2010[2] | |
| Preceded by | Gillian Lucky |
| Succeeded by | Errol McLeod |
| Minister of Legal Affairs | |
| In office 14 May 2005 – 7 November 2007 | |
| Prime Minister | Patrick Manning |
| Preceded by | Peter Taylor |
| Succeeded by | Prakash Ramadhar |
| Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister (Social Services Delivery) | |
| In office 15 October 2002 – 13 May 2005 | |
| Prime Minister | Patrick Manning |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Vice-President of the Senate of Trinidad and Tobago | |
| In office 5 April 2002 – 28 August 2002 | |
| Senate President | Linda Baboolal |
| Preceded by | Wade Mark |
| Succeeded by | Rawle Titus |
| Opposition Senator | |
| In office 12 January 2001 – 13 October 2001 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 December 1961[3] San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies Federation, British Empire[3] |
| Political party | Independent (2015–present)[a] |
| Other political affiliations | People's National Movement (2001–2015) |
| Spouse |
Kerwyn Garcia (m. 1998) |
| Alma mater | |
| Profession |
|
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Christine Kangaloo was born into a Presbyterian Indo-Trinidadian family to Carlyle and Barbara Kangaloo and she is the fifth of their seven children.[3][11][12] In 2018, she and her husband converted to Roman Catholicism.[13] She graduated from the University of the West Indies and Hugh Wooding Law School and with a degree in law.
On 12 January 2001, she first became a member of parliament as an opposition senator under the tenure of Opposition Leader Patrick Manning.[14] She then served as Vice President of the Senate and subsequently Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister in 2002. She was then appointed Minister of Legal Affairs in 2005.[15][16] In the 2007 Trinidad and Tobago general election, she was elected to the House of Representatives as the People's National Movement (PNM) candidate for Pointe-à-Pierre and served as the Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education.[17][18] On 23 September 2015 she was elected as President of the Senate.[19]
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