Christine Kangaloo

Christine Carla Kangaloo ORTT (born 1 December 1961)^[5] is a Trinidadian politician, who is the president of Trinidad and Tobago since 2023.

Her Excellency Christine Kangaloo ORTT
Kangaloo in 2008
7th President of Trinidad and Tobago
Incumbent
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	(1961-12-01) 1 December 1961 (age 63)[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)​ [3]
Alma mater	University of the West Indies (LL.B.) Hugh Wooding Law School (LEC)
Profession	Politician lawyer

Biography

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][6][7] In 2018, she and her husband converted to Roman Catholicism.^[8] She graduated from the University of the West Indies and Hugh Wooding Law School and with a degree in law.

Political Career

On 12 January 2001, she first became a member of parliament as an opposition senator under the tenure of Opposition Leader Patrick Manning.^[9] 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.^[10][11] 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.^[12][13] On 23 September 2015 she was elected as President of the Senate.^[14]

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.^[15][16][17]

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^[18] in previous People's National Movement governments.^[19]

Notes

1. Kangaloo was elected senate president and president under the nomination of the PNM. She resigned her party membership prior to taking office.^[4]

References

1. Haynes, Kejan (2 March 2023). "Kangaloo inauguration set for March 20th". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
2. "Trinidad gov't dissolves parliament for election". Reuters. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2020.^{[dead link‍]}
3. "The President | The Office of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago".
4. Webb, Yvonne (8 January 2023). "Attorney Kerwyn Garcia on life with presidential nominee: 'I'm always Mr Christine Kangaloo' - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday". newsday.co.tt. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
5. Taitt, Ria (7 January 2023). "FROM RED HOUSE TO PRESIDENT'S HOUSE". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
6. "'Her Christian faith".
7. Mc Letchie, Alison (2013), "The Parasitic Oligarchy? The Elites in Trinidad and Tobago". (Doctoral dissertation).
8. "President-elect Christine Kangaloo: I won't isolate myself". 19 March 2023.
9. "Kangaloo to act as President of Trinidad & Tobago". Trinidad and Tobago Government News. Retrieved 15 July 2020.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
10. "The Trinidad Guardian -Online Edition Ver 2.0". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
11. "The Trinidad Guardian -Online Edition Ver 2.0". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
12. Lord, Richard. "?PM: Two elections coming this year". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
13. "Battle over Marabella sports ground". Trinidad and Tobago Newsdday. 5 March 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
14. "T&T Guardian". Retrieved 15 July 2020 – via Facebook.
15. "Trinidad and Tobago Parliament". Trinidad and Tobago Parliament. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
16. "96.1 WEFM". Retrieved 15 July 2020 – via Facebook.
17. "Photos of the Day: President Inauguration". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
18. "More places for T&T law students at St Augustine campus". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
19. "Trinidad and Tobago Parliament". Trinidad and Tobago Parliament. Retrieved 15 July 2020.

External links

• Parliamentary Profile Archived 5 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Trinidad and Tobago Parliament website

Political offices
New title	Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister (Social Services Delivery) 2002–2005	Position abolished
Preceded by Peter Taylor	Minister of Legal Affairs 2005–2007	Succeeded by Prakash Ramadhar
Preceded by Mustapha Abdul-Hamid	Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education 2007–2010	Succeeded by Fazal Karim
Preceded by Raziah Ahmed	President of the Senate of Trinidad and Tobago 2015–2023	Succeeded by Nigel de Freitas
Preceded by Paula-Mae Weekes	President of Trinidad and Tobago 2023–present	Incumbent