Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

The Honorable Kamla Persad-Bissessar was born on April 22, 1952, in Siparia, Trinidad. Mrs. Persad-Bissessar graduated from Iere High School and went on to further her studies at The University of the West Indies, Norwood Technical College (England), and the Hugh Wooding Law School. Consequently, she was awarded a B.A. (Hons.), a diploma in education, a bachelor of laws (Hons.), and a legal education certificate. In 2006 she obtained an executive master of business administration (EMBA) from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, Trinidad.

On completion of her studies, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar entered the teaching profession. She taught at the St. Andrew High School in Kingston, Jamaica, and at the Mona Campus in  Jamaica. Later, she taught at the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad. At the Jamaica College of Insurance she was also a consultant lecturer. Her next step was to lecture at a tertiary education institution. After lecturing for a total of six years, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar became a full-time attorney-at-law.

In 1987 Mrs. Persad-Bissessar entered the political arena. From 1987 until 1991, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar served as an alderman for St. Patrick County Council. Representing the United National Congress in Opposition, she took the Oath of Allegiance at a sitting of the Senate on November 1, 1994. Since 1995 she has been the member of Parliament for Siparia, serving as attorney general, minister of legal affairs, and minister of education between 1995 and 2001. The United National Congress returned to the opposition benches in 2002, and on April 26, 2006, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar was appointed leader of the opposition, the first woman to ever hold that position in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Mrs. Persad-Bissessar was appointed leader of the opposition a second time on February 25, 2010, almost one month after she was elected political leader of the United National Congress.

On Tuesday May 26, 2010, two days after a victory at the polls, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar created history yet again, becoming the first woman to hold the office of prime minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Mrs. Persad-Bissessar is married to Dr. Gregory Bissessar and has one son.

Source: Information provided by Office of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago on behalf of Kamla Persad-Bissessar