HOPE is Committed to Serving the People of our Country with Respect and Dignity, valuing the Sacredness of all Life. We champion Freedom, Well-Being, and Meritocracy, providing Equal Opportunities for all Individuals to reach their Full Potential. We believe in Nurturing Creativity and the Well-Being of all citizens, providing access to Education, Health Care, Employment, and Shelter. Our Leadership is dedicated to Empowering Individuals to achieve their Goals and Aspirations, contributing fully to their Communities, and participating in the Decisions that affect their Lives.

Meet our members

Hope’s Leadership is dedicated to Empowering Individuals to Achieve their Goals and Aspirations, contributing fully to their Communities, and participating in the Decisions that affect their Lives.

Timothy Hamel-Smith

Political Leader

Political Stirrings

Tim, a witness to the dawn of Trinidad and Tobago’s independence, viewed it as a time of freedom and an opportunity to shape our destiny free from colonial constraints. Despite skepticism, he saw it as a chance to reach new heights and achieve national goals, envisioning a nation founded on Discipline, Tolerance, and Production, where every creed and race would have an equal place.

Regrettably, post-independence leaders fell short of this vision, allowing the country to be tied to third-world patronage, corruption, and rampant crime. Undeterred, Tim remains committed to the original dream for the nation, believing that the HOPE party is the only political entity capable of reversing the degradation and unlocking the country’s vast potential.

Tim’s public service roots trace back to his grandfather, Mikey Hamel-Smith, who founded a renowned law firm in 1909, earning accolades for his integrity and generosity. Tim’s father, Raymond Hamel-Smith, a barrister and former Mayor of Port of Spain, played a pivotal role in the Trinidad Labour Party’s early success. Tim’s brother, Roger, a former partner at the family law firm, has been a judge for over 21 years, leaving an indelible mark with a notable dissenting judgment in a critical legal case.

Charitable and Pro Bono Work:

Since 1985, Tim has been an integral part of the Living Water Community, actively contributing to various initiatives, including feeding street dwellers in Port of Spain, conducting spirituality sessions at New Life Ministries, serving as a Trustee for the Mercy Foundation, and acting as the Legal Adviser to the Living Water Community.

Driven by a commitment to politics for the common good, inspired by Pope Francis’s teachings in Fratelli Tutti, Tim emphasizes the importance of governance rooted in love and humility. He believes that political involvement is a profound expression of charity and a service to the common good.

Tim played a crucial role in critical initiatives such as developing the first Strategic Plan and Implementation Roadmap for the T&T Parliament (2013-2018), introducing the Parliamentary Outreach Programme to Schools in 2013, and implementing new Senate Standing Orders.

Legal Background

Tim has earned acclaim in Chambers Global as a No. 1 Ranking lawyer, recognized as “one of the best transactional lawyers in Trinidad,” and hailed as “the best corporate finance brain in the Region.” Under his initiative in 1989, his law firm became a founding and sole member for Trinidad and Tobago in Lex Mundi, now the world’s leading network of premier law firms.

Recognized for his “unsurpassed knowledge and professionalism” in the Lawyer Awards 2023, Tim has excelled in commercial law, contributing to world-class Petrochemical and Energy-Based Projects, pioneering local Capital Markets transactions, and engaging in high-profile Mergers and Acquisitions in Trinidad and Tobago.

Governance:

Tim is a solutions-oriented, proactive lawyer and brings his creative experience to national governance. He aims to introduce new perspectives and innovative ideas to address challenges such as Crime and Corruption, advocating for a re-engineered Constitution to foster a vibrant and dynamic economy.

Dedicated to the development of HOPE, Tim envisions transforming Trinidad and Tobago with his colleagues when HOPE attains Governance of T&T.

Karen Nunez-Tesheira

Deputy Political Leader – Finance

Karen Nunez-Tesheira is a distinguished attorney at law, holding an Executive MBA degree and a postgraduate diploma in international relations. With an extensive background, she served as the former senior tutor at the HWLS and held the position of a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law in Barbados.

A prolific author, Mrs. Nunez-Tesheira has written three legal texts specific to the Commonwealth Caribbean, widely embraced by law students and practitioners. Her expertise extends beyond academia, as she has conducted numerous business law workshops for regional companies. Notably, she designed the original Business Law module for what is now known as the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business.

From 2007 to mid-2010, Mrs. Nunez-Tesheira made significant contributions as a Member of Parliament, earning an outstanding approval rating of 98%, as per NACTA polls leading up to the 2010 elections—the highest among all MPs. Serving as the Minister of Finance, she demonstrated exceptional skill in containing and overseeing the CLF/CLICO and the HCU crises on behalf of the government at the time. Additionally, she successfully managed and completed various transformational projects and played a pivotal role in enacting key legislation. Her multifaceted career reflects a commitment to excellence in legal scholarship and public service.

Louis Lee Sing

Deputy Political Leader – Governance

He served as Mayor of the Capital City of Trinidad and Tobago from July 2010 to November 2013. As mayor, he initiated a comprehensive platform of change, including the rehabilitation of street dwellers, enforcement of parking and existing noise pollution regulations, and improvements in critical performance areas of Port of Spain.
 
Mayor Lee Sing brought his unique passion for professionalism and excellence to the assignment, which is characteristic of his life’s work. He has consistently demonstrated the ability to operate within the corridors of both sectors effectively. Pursuing excellence within his City, he successfully confronted the Central Government in the Courts on several fundamental matters. He notes initiating the program to remove 3000 latrine pits in Port of Spain as one of the projects he feels proud of.
 
Beginning as a ‘cub’ reporter and recognizing the written and spoken word as a force of social and political change, he became involved in the Business of Media. As a media practitioner, he created radio stations, including i95.5FM, Red96.7FM, W107.1FM, Power102FM, Love94, and 98.9 Radi YO. He provides consultancy to WESN Television and Film Studio. Through his various interests, including a bookshop and publishing company, he seeks to make valuable contributions to building his beloved nation-state.
 
As Chairman of the National Lotteries Control Board and the Managing Director of the International Communications Network (State Media), Mayor Lee Sing brought a renewed spirit of enterprise to these state agencies. He turned both organizations into efficient, highly profitable entities within notably short periods.
 
Mr. Lee Sing, as Mayor, was known for his courageous drive to enforce law and order within the City while respecting the various needs of its residents and users. As with all capital cities, Port of Spain hosts many more visitors than permanent
burgesses daily. With tremendous foresight and strategic intent, Mayor Lee Sing employed his experience in state enterprise, finance, and media to ensure that the City continued to adequately serve users from within and across the Caribbean and beyond.
 
Mr. Lee Sing, as President of Eastern Credit Union between 1981 and 1993, has similarly left indelible prints on the credit union movement in Trinidad and Tobago. His contributions built a single-door operation of nearly one thousand (1,000) members with a share capital of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) into a fully automated organization with multiple branches, membership of thirty-five thousand plus, share capital of Two Hundred and Five Million Dollars ($205,000,000.00), encompassing a fully diversified slate of business and social activities.
He currently serves as Chairman of several private companies.
 
He is the author of three books: “Local Government in Trinidad and Tobago, A Conspiracy Against the People,” “I Used to Live in Heaven, Letters to My Granddaughters,” and his first novel: “Closer to the Church.”His second novel: “Between the Bank and the Gutter” will be published soon.
 
His maxim is to ‘LEAVE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO BETTER THAN HE MET IT.’

Steve Alvarez

Party Chairman

Steve Alvarez, a proud native of Moruga in South Trinidad, distinguished himself early on by being the sole successful candidate in the common entrance examination at the Moruga EC School in 1969. His educational journey took him through Cowen Hamilton Secondary School, Cipriani Labour College, and New York University, culminating in an MBA from Anglia Ruskin University.

Renowned as a Project Manager par excellence, Steve showcased his skills in overseeing the construction of numerous significant buildings in New York City. Notable projects under his purview included the multi-million-dollar renovation of Kings County Hospital and various other significant endeavors. Returning to Trinidad & Tobago, he successfully managed the construction of critical structures such as the Unit Trust Headquarters, The Head Office of First Citizens Bank, The Princes Town Health facility, Briar Place, the Amera Building on Queen’s Park West, and various commercial and domestic projects.

Steve’s dedication to public service is exemplified by his role as Chairman of The Statutory Authority Service Commission (SASC). During his tenure, statutory bodies under his leadership, including The Port of Spain City Corporation, The San Fernando Borough Corporation, The Arima Borough Corporation, The Point Fortin Borough Corporation, The National Lotteries Control Board, and others, were visited for the first time in the history of the commission.

Entering the political arena in 2001, Steve founded The Democratic Party of Trinidad & Tobago (DPTT), which participated in the 2002 general election with ten candidates vying for parliamentary seats. In 2007, the DPTT joined forces with the United National Congress in an alliance for the polls. Throughout his political career, Steve and the DPTT remained steadfast in their commitment to upholding the rule of law, human rights, equality of all races, human dignity, and improving living standards. In 2023, Steve and other leaders co-founded a new party named HOPE, continuing his pursuit of these ideals.

Melisa Raghunanan-Niamath

General Secretary

Melisa L. Raghunanan-Niamath is a versatile professional with expertise in Marketing, Communications, Management, Public Procurement, and Events. She is a self-motivated team player with strong organizational and interpersonal skills, delivering outstanding service with passion. Melisa is a confident public speaker with experience in presentations and training sessions, thriving in pressurized environments where high standards are expected.

Her dedication and passion have earned her awards, praise, and additional responsibilities.
Melisa holds a B.Sc. in Government/Political Science from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, with a significant composition covering diverse areas such as Public Policy, Communication Studies, Human Resource Management, Project Management, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, and more. With 13 years of experience in Project Management in social, humanitarian, and charitable work on national, regional, and international levels, Melisa has proven herself to be a dedicated and accomplished professional.

Her extensive involvement includes serving as a Youth Parliament Representative in the past, with (NAYPTT), Executive Secretary of The National Women’s Arm of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and an Executive Member of the National Youth Arm of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. Melisa has also contributed as an Executive Member of the 2012/2013 National ICT Consultations within Trinidad and Tobago, as well as she has received recognition with certificates of Youth Leadership Achievement and participation in projects like the Junior Achiever’s Project and RBTT Young Leader’s Project.

Her commitment extends to community service, as seen in her past role as an Executive Member of the San Fernando West Constituency Executive (2014-2016) and as an Executive Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology during the 2015 International Competition Board hosted in Trinidad at the NESC Drilling Academy. Melisa’s diverse experiences, leadership roles, and educational background make her a well-rounded professional committed to social development and effective project management.

Social and Charitable Work

With a commitment spanning 13 years, Melisa has actively engaged in charitable and humanitarian efforts on national and regional levels, primarily through her involvement with Tabernacle of Prayer T&T Inc. Organization. Additionally, she has collaborated with the Operation Mobilization (O.M), which is the organization responsible for the docking of the Logos Ships to our shores in an effort to assist the needy and displaced citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

Political Background
Melisa held several positions with the past government. She sat on the San Fernando West Executive Board, served as the Past General Secretary for the Youth Arm as well as she previously held the position of Executive Secretary of the Women’s Arm. She has acted as a past Youth Parliamentarian Representative with (NAYPTT), and undertook the role of Campaign Coordinator for San Fernando West from 2013 to 2018.

Religious
Melisa is also an Ordained Minister with Tabernacle of Prayer T&T Inc. and holds a Diploma in Theology. Guided by the maxim, ‘Kindness and Love is the best form of Humanity,’ her diverse experiences and commitments reflect a holistic approach to contributing positively to society and community well-being.

Deosaran Jagroo
Party Organizer

Deosaran Jagroo, a born resident of Nestor Village, Guaico Tamana, Sangre Grande, is a present-day farmer who has adapted to modern agricultural practices within the cocoa industry. Academically, he has achieved his master’s Degree in Management from the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom.

 His expertise in cocoa cultivation and other agricultural practices has allowed him to know much about the strengths and weaknesses of the farming industry within Trinidad and Tobago. He is also an innovative businessman who has won business awards for producing local chocolates, with cocoa grown on his estates.

 Deosaran Jagroo was a former lecturer in management at the Cipriani Labor College. He was also the CEO of Caroni Ltd (1975) and retired from that post in 2014. Presently, he sits as the Director of the New Land Tenants and Rate Payers Association Board and is Deputy Chairman of ‘Heal House,’ a known rehabilitation center in south Trinidad.

Deosaran Jagroo has received the Gold Medal of Merit for his commitment to public service, which speaks volumes about his dedication, commitment, and service to the people of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.