Jearlean K. John (born 1960) is a Trinidad and Tobago politician from the

United National Congress The United National Congress ( UNC or UNCTT) is one of two major political parties in Trinidad and Tobago. The UNC is a Centre-left politics, centre-left party. It was founded in 1989 by Basdeo Panday, a Trinidadian lawyer, economist, trade unio ...

Early life

John was born in Charlotteville,

Tobago Tobago, officially the Ward of Tobago, is an List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, island and Regions and municipalities of Trinidad and Tobago, ward within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located northeast of the larger islan ...

Political career

Jearlean John entered public life under

Basdeo Panday Basdeo Panday (; 25 May 1933 – 1 January 2024) was a Trinidadian statesman, lawyer, politician, trade unionist, economist, and actor who served as the fifth List of Prime Ministers of Trinidad and Tobago, prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago ...

and served as Transport Minister and Minister of Tourism and Tobago Affairs. Under

Patrick Manning Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning (17 August 1946 – 2 July 2016) was a Trinidadian politician who served as the fourth prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago twice from 1991 to 1995, and again from 2001 to 2010. A geologist by training, Mannin ...

, she served as managing director of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), role she held under the People's Partnership administration of

Kamla Persad-Bissessar Kamla Susheila Persad-Bissessar Senior Counsel, SC Member of parliament, MP (, born 22 April 1952), often referred to by her initials KPB is a Trinidadian lawyer, politician and educator who has twice served as the sixth List of prime ministers ...

. In the

2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on 10 August 2020, to elect 41 members to the 12th Trinidad and Tobago Republican Parliament. It was the 14th election since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1962 and the 22nd ...

, she was the UNC candidate in La Horquetta/Talparo but she lost to Foster Cummings. She was subsequently appointed to the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

as an opposition senator. In the

2025 Trinidad and Tobago general election General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on 28 April 2025 to elect all 41 members of the House of Representatives. President Christine Kangaloo, on the advice of Prime Minister Stuart Young, dissolved parliament and issued the writs ...

, she was the UNC candidate in Couva North. She was elected over other candidates Brent Maraj and

Mickela Panday Shalini Mickela Panday is a Trinidad and Tobago attorney who is the leader of the Patriotic Front. She represented Oropouche West in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2010. Early life and education Mickela Panday is of Indo-Trinid ...

. She was appointed Minister of Works and Infrastructure by Prime Minister

Electoral history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:John, Jearlean 1960 births Living people People from Tobago Members of the Senate (Trinidad and Tobago) Members of the House of Representatives (Trinidad and Tobago) United National Congress politicians 21st-century Trinidad and Tobago women politicians 21st-century Trinidad and Tobago politicians Women government ministers of Trinidad and Tobago