Richie Sookhai

Richie G. Sookhai (born 7 March 1979)[6][7] is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian senator, Minister in the Ministry of Works and Transport, engineer and businessman.

He was the president of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC) prior to becoming a Government Senator. He is also the managing director of Sookhai's Diesel Services Limited.[8]

He is a member of the ruling People's National Movement party and succeeded Christine Kangaloo as a Government Senator in January 2023, as she resigned to become President. His focus during his second term as chamber president was on small and medium-sized enterprises, the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and educating entrepreneurs and business owners on digital media marketing.[1] Sookhai is of Indo-Trinidadian descent. He was sworn in on the Bhagavad Gita.[9] His maiden contribution in the Senate was The Firearms (Amendment) Bill, 2022.[10] His appointment to the Senate by PNM party leader and Prime Minister Keith Rowley was seen by political pundits as one of Rowley's best moves. They believe that Sookhai's popularity in Chaguanas, his family's Hindu religious roots there, and his clean track record will lead to Rowley selecting him as a candidate for one of the two Chaguanas seats in the House in the next general elections to help defeat the United National Congress in their most solid constituencies.[11][12] He obtained a Bachelor of Science in computer engineering from Florida International University College of Engineering and Computing in 2002 and he obtained his Master of International Business from Florida International University College of Business in 2020.[8] He describes himself as a devout Hindu, a vegetarian, a teetotaler, a non-smoker, and an avid stamp and art collector.[13][9] He has never been married and has no children.[9]