Caption: Flashback. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere Daniel P. Erikson hosts Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Keith Rowley at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Jan. 26, 2024. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)
By Prior Beharry
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s five-day trip to the United States to meet with officials cost taxpayers $818,262.97.
This was revealed in a written answer presented to Parliament on Friday from a question posed by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal.
The details were regarding the Dr Rowley’s overseas travels between September 20, 2020, and February 29, 2024. The response revealed that over $10.6 million was expended on 19 official trips undertaken by Dr Rowley during this period.
Dr Moonilal raising concerns about the allocation of public funds including Dr Rowley’s visit to the US in January 2024, during which he engaged in meetings with high-ranking defence and intelligence officials.
Despite media releases from the Office of the Prime Minister of meetings with US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense and CIA Director, questions linger regarding the specifics of the delegation, meeting agenda, and outcomes, Dr Moonilal said.
Speaking during a United National Congress (UNC) meeting in Lengua on Monday, Dr Moonilal questioned the necessity of the prime minister’s trip to receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Howard University in May 2023, which incurred costs of $400,000. He said this should have been a personal trip.
Another trip was Dr Rowley’s attendance at the International Energy Conference and Caricom Meeting in Guyana in February 2024, which accrued expenses totaling $452,895.
Dr Moonilal said Dr Rowley’s extended his stay in Guyana after the conference saying this was unnecessary expenditure without tangible benefits for the country.
He said the prime minister’s trips during this period amounted $300,000 per month.
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