PRIME Minister Dr Rowley needs to be more circumspect and temperate in his utterances in and out of parliament.
This according to Naparima MP Rodney Charles in responding to the statement on Saturday made by Dr Rowley that Charles sold out the image of Trinidad and Tobago for a plate of food.
In a statement on Saturday evening, Charles said, “Dr Rowley needs to be cautioned to be more circumspect and temperate in his utterances in and out of parliament.
“His statement today is yet another example of how a PM of TT should not behave.”
Charles was T&T’s ambassador to the United National under the People’s Partnership Government.
In the release he said, “Stung by local and regional outrage against his intemperate and undiplomatic remarks this week in parliament, Dr Rowley once again attempts to mask his incompetence, appalling lack of diplomatic skills, and inability to hold his own on the global stage by once again diverting attention to a non-issue involving Marine Le Penn.
“Dr Rowley clearly holds the view that diplomacy involves speaking only to friends, family, financiers and sanctioned individuals like Venezuela’s Delcy Rodriguez while treating others like Le Pen with whom he disagrees with Balisier disdain.”
Charles said Dr Rowley’s meeting with Rodriquez may have placed the economy of T&T at risk of being sanctioned.
He said, “Dr Rowley also met recently with the President of Iran. By legal Notice 44 of 2019 T&T placed certain trade restrictions on the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“Yet he has issues with 18 UN ambassadors, including myself, meeting years ago with Le Pen. Among those present at the meeting was Camilio Gonsalves, then ambassador of St Vincent and the Grenadines to the UN and now Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Information technology of that country.
“Dr Rowley, therefore, continues to mislead the country and slander my good name by repeating a total falsehood that I was the only UN ambassador present.
“Ms Le Pen was an elected member of the European Parliament and head of a right-wing party in France and a world leader who needed to be challenged to explain her perspective on immigration, Islamophobia and extreme nationalism once the opportunity arose.”
Charles said, “Clearly Dr Rowley does not understand that global diplomacy requires interaction with and listening to the views of individuals with whom you may even disagree.”
He said Dr Rowley must remember that he is the prime minister of T&T and not a bartender in a rum shop.
Charles said, “What happens in the unlikely, yet not entirely inconceivable, event that Le Pen becomes President of France in the next elections carded for later this year?
“When the T&T Ambassador presents his credentials to the French President in the event she is elected, she will have on her desk the many unfortunate, unnecessary and unkind comments made against her by Keith Cristopher Rowley in his capacity as PM of T&T.”
