Former PNM General Secretary Refutes ‘Strange’ Resignation Claims About Ashton Ford

Background\n\nDuring a recent segment of I-95.5 FM’s program, host Darien Marcel raised a circulating rumor that Ashton Ford, former General Secretary of the People's National Movement (PNM), had resigned under “strange circumstances.” Marcel sought clarification from the individual who succeeded Ford in the role, Daniel Dookey, a former assistant and acting General Secretary of the PNM.\n\nInterview Summary\n\nDookey, who served as General Secretary after Ford’s departure, categorically denied that Ford’s resignation was unusual. He described Ford as “an outstanding General Secretary of the PNM,” whom he regarded as his mentor and coach. Dookey explained that after Ford stepped down, the party’s General Council invoked the party constitution, appointing Dookey to the post. He emphasized that even after Ford retired, they continued to interact, and there was no indication of any controversy surrounding the resignation.\n\nWhen asked to define “strange,” Dookey said he would not use that term, noting that the circumstances were ordinary and documented in party minutes and convention records. He highlighted Ford’s long-standing service to both the PNM and Trinidad and Tobago, stating that the resignation was a routine transition rather than a questionable event.\n\nClarification on the Rumor\n\nDookey expressed concern that the rumor, if left unaddressed, could sow unwarranted suspicion among the public. He stressed that no one, including party leaders or council members, ever raised concerns about Ford’s resignation during meetings. The only records available are the official party minutes, which he described as “well recorded and documented.”\n\nConclusion\n\nThe interview concluded that the claim of a “strange” resignation lacks substantive evidence. According to the former General Secretary who directly succeeded Ashton Ford, the resignation was a standard procedural change within the PNM, and any suggestion otherwise appears to be unfounded speculation.