The Opposition United National Congress (UNC), is now calling for the Prime Minister to be investigated on the grounds of misbehaviour in public office, following statements he made and what they say is his admission of guilt, during Saturday’s media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.
In a statement Sunday, Kamla Persad-Bissessar said “Most people must be stunned at the panicked display by Dr Keith Rowley during what was supposedly a Covid-19 health briefing. I am not.”
“Rowley’s rant was deliberate in order to bait a similar response from myself and the opposition. Rowley’s calling of UNC Parliamentarians “imps, pimps and chimps” was purposely done to elicit a reciprocal response which would then enable him to play the usual cards he pulls out when his back is against the wall.”
She added that those slurs hurled at UNC Parliamentarians are no ad-libs but were deviously crafted and delivered by Rowley with the hope that if the UNC responded in kind it would inflame tribal passions and give him some much-needed support.
“I understand there may be an urge by some to respond in a similarly rude manner but I know that’s exactly what he wants, in order to muddy the issue. I suggest we keep the focus on the main issue,” she said.
“In his panicked rant, Rowley didn’t realize the additional ugly truths that he was revealing. He appears to confirm that from the onset there was a coordinated CONSPIRACY to oust Gary Griffith as Commissioner of Police.
Rowley claimed that one year ago he wrote to the Police Service Commission, telling them that he had lost faith in Gary Griffith.”
The Opposition leader said “This is a significant revelation. It gives us a motive for the subsequent interference in the Police Service Commission and the constitutional duties of the Office of the President.
“Despite Rowley’s ‘loss of confidence letter’, the Police Service Commission proceeded to generate a merit list which apparently included the same Gary Griffith and had even appointed him to act temporarily. It seems apparent, then, that Rowley went above their heads to sabotage the process of appointment.”
According to the UNC, The President, Prime Minister and Attorney General have even more serious questions to answer right now as a result of Keith Rowley’s hot-headed press conference.
For starters, they would like to know, when specifically did Rowley advise the Police Service Commission that he had lost faith in the Commissioner of Police? What caused his loss of faith? Did he only write the Chairman or all members of the commission? Did Attorney General Al-Rawi know of this letter, or was he kept in the dark by his Prime Minister? Did the Cabinet agree to undermine the process or was this totally the Prime Minister’s action? What other action against the Commissioner of Police was undertaken? and…How many other interferences have Rowley made over the last year since sending the loss of confidence letter?
The UNC also wants to know whether confidential information about the PolSC being shared between the Office of the President and the Prime Minister and was there collusion by the President, Prime Minister and PolSC chairman to derail the merit list from being sent to parliament or was it just a coincidence that they happened to be at President’s House on the 12th of August 2021.
The release further noted that when asked by a reporter whether he denies meeting with the President on the 12th of August 2021, Rowley defiantly retorted that he does not deny it and, furthermore, that he can meet with the President 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, adding he doesn’t have to “tell anybody” what they would have spoken about.
“This confirms that Rowley sees himself as Supreme Leader and Dictator. He wrongly believes that he is empowered by the Constitution to do whatever he wants, without having to account to anybody.”
Persad-Bissessar said the facts which remain are:
·The Police Service Commission collapsed due to the direct actions of three of the highest offices in our land. The President, Prime Minister and Attorney General are entangled in actions that may amount to misconduct in public office.
·We are in an unprecedented constitutional crisis for the first time in our history! We have no substantive CoP, no acting CoP and, apart from Mr Jacob, no substantive DCP’s and no acting DCP’s. This crisis is firmly bolted to the chest of three of our highest officer holders, the President, the Prime Minister and the Attorney General.
·The President, The Attorney General and especially Keith Rowley, all have serious questions to answer about why our nation does not have a Police Commissioner NOR AN ACTING COP for the first time in our history
·Her Excellency the President without explanation, did not submit the PolSC merit list for acting Police Commissioner to the Parliament
·A High Court ruling found that by not submitting the PolSC merit list to Parliament, the President acted in violation of the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago. As a result, our nation has been plunged into a deep crisis.
·The President has never addressed the serious QUESTIONS concerning her CONDUCT.
The dictator Keith Rowley has committed the most grievous assault on our democracy in our history. The Opposition will continue to do its job and defend the constitution, the law and the citizens of our great nation.
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