Kieron Joseph Samaroo

Kieron Joseph Samaroo born on 6 December 1987 is the chairman of the COP Youth Congress. This is the youth arm of the Congress of the People(COP)a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. He also the youngest member of the on the National Executive of the Congress of the People, which is led by Winston Dookeran

Education

Having competed primary schooling ar the Rosary Boys' Roman Catholic School in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Kieron went on to attend Fatima College, in Mucurapo. This school is nationally prominent due to its former principal, Anthony Pantin, who served as Archbishop of Port of Spain.

After completing schooling there, he went on to attend Queen's Royal College, one of the first and most distinguished schools in Trinidad. Queen's Royal College was one of the most presigious colleges in Trinidad, with alumni including the current President of Trinidad and Tobago, George Maxwell Richards, the first Trinidiadian Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams, former Opposition Leader Rudranath Capildeo and nobel laureate Sir Vidia Naipaul. Kieron achieved certificates in geography, Spanish, Caribbean studies, communication studies and economics.

In 2007, Kieron enrolled into the University of the West Indiesin St. Augustine, Trinidad, to pursue studies in economics.

Before Politics

With an ardent Desire to Improve the lives of the underprivileged, Kieron recognized immediately the role of politics in creating meaningful betterment for people. In 2005,he represented Trinidad and Tobago at the Global Young Leaders' Conference in Washington,D.C., where he served as vice chairman of the conference. Later that year, Kieron represented his college in the seat of Port of Spain North/St. Ann's West constituency at the Fourth National Youth Parliament, held by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. He and his colleagues debated the issue of the lack of avenues for redress where inaccurate and damaging media publishing was concerned. The proposals made in this debate were the basis upon which the Media Complaints Council of Trinidad and Tobago was founded.

In 2007, Kieron also served as the head of the youth ministry at the Wesleyan Church in San Juan for one year.

Discovery and Entry into Politics

That same year, Kieron joined the Congress of the People, and was given the opportunity to speak on a public platform to the latter end of the election campaign. The speech greatly impressed party bigwigs and membership, and he subsequently spoke on many more platforms. In that election, The one year-old COP got 148,041 votes - 22 per cent of the polity- but won no seats in the parliament. This was considered as a substantial dent to the traditional, entrenched election demographic in Trinidad and Tobago, which saw the 42 year old incumbent People's National Movement getting 299,813 votes and the 20 year old United National Congress getting 194,425 votes.

The following year, in the COP's internal elections, Kieron was elected Chairman of the COP Youth Congress, the official name of the COP's youth arm.

In 2008, The COP Youth Congress participated in the National Youth Elections programme held by the Ministry of Youth Affairs. It contested the constituency of St. Augustine with Kieron as the candidate. The Youth Congress was successful, and Kieron Joseph Samaroo was elected to the National Youth Assembly and served as assemblyman for St. Augustine for the term of one year.