Lead Editor-Politics
Former prime minister Stuart Young says the Government has moved to have his diplomatic passport returned, marking what he describes as the latest attempt to strip him of benefits afforded to former prime ministers.
However, Guardian Media understands Young still has possession of the passport after requesting that the Government make the demand formally in writing.
In a video statement posted to social media yesterday, Young revealed that he received an unexpected call instructing him to surrender the diplomatic passport issued to him after he demitted office.
Young argued that the latest development formed part of a wider pattern of political victimisation by the Government.
“I received a call out of the blue,” Young said.
“As a former prime minister, you get a diplomatic passport. It was given to me on the second of May last year. I didn’t ask for it. Get a call out of the blue: return the passport.”
Young did not identify who contacted him or whether any legal basis was provided for the request. He indicated, however, that he does not intend to simply comply without due process.
“I will deal with that. I will deal with that in accordance with the law at the appropriate time,” he said.
Guardian Media contacted MP Young last evening however, he said he was not prepared to say more at this time.
The development comes less than a year after the United National Congress Government successfully amended legislation to prevent Young from receiving the retirement gratuity and pension that would otherwise have been payable to a former prime minister. The amendments followed criticism over Young’s 42-day tenure as prime minister before the April 2025 General Election.
Legal position
Under the Immigration Act, Chap. 18:01, the authority to issue, renew or revoke passports rests exclusively with the Minister of National Security.
Guardian Media, however, could find no specific provision for former prime ministers in the act. The act also contains no automatic constitutional or statutory entitlement allowing them to retain diplomatic passports after leaving office.
Guardian Media sent questions to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar asking why Young’s passport was being requested, whether a decision had been made to revoke it and whether other former prime ministers had received similar requests. Up to press time, no response was received.
Guardian Media contacted former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley, who is currently out of the country, to determine whether he had similarly been asked to surrender his diplomatic passport.
“I have a diplomatic passport which I used today,” Rowley replied via message.
The diplomatic passport issue represents the second significant challenge to Young’s post-office entitlements since leaving the Office of the Prime Minister.
Following the 2025 General Election, the Government amended legislation governing pensions and gratuities for former prime ministers after public debate over Young’s eligibility following his 42-day tenure.
Government ministers argued at the time that it would have been inappropriate for a prime minister who served for just six weeks to receive benefits equivalent to leaders who held the office for years.
Young and the Opposition criticised the move, describing it as legislation specifically targeted at one individual.
For now, Young remains in possession of the passport while awaiting a formal written request from the Government, with the legal and political dispute appearing set to continue.
‘Political persecution’
Young said the passport issue reflected what he believed had become an increasingly hostile political environment under the current administration.
“The political victimisation and political persecution that has been taking place since May 2025 is unprecedented in Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.
He accused the Government of focusing on political opponents instead of addressing the country’s growing economic and social challenges.
“A lot is going on in Trinidad and Tobago these days,” Young said.
He said thousands of workers have lost their jobs across state-funded programmes and state enterprises since the Government assumed office.
“The firing of tens of thousands of our most vulnerable workers and citizens in CPEP, URP, reforestation, continued firings at WASA, T&TEC, even in the energy sector, at Heritage, NGC, NE, PPGPL and Paria. Every day people are being terminated by this Government.”
Young alleged the dismissals were politically motivated, adding families were paying the price.
“Families out there are hurting. I know, as Member of Parliament for Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West, I see it, I feel it, as I try to help my constituents who are made unemployed by this current Government.”
The former prime minister also criticised the administration’s handling of the country’s energy sector, pointing to ongoing gas shortages and recent announcements affecting the industry.
“Collapse of our energy sector. The other day at the mid-year review, you had them raising the price of oil and gas and we’re not even meeting those prices. Plants closing down,” Young said.
He said these issues should instead command Government’s full attention.
