By Sue-Ann Wayow
OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is demanding an apology from Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for his statements regarding race and crime. She has called it “irresponsible, dangerous and downright nasty politics.”
On Sunday, Dr Rowley slammed both Persad-Bissessar and a pundit for what he said was instigating that criminal activities were being targeted to persons of East Indian descent.
Speaking at the People’s National Movement (PNM) Sports and Family Day in Toco, Dr Rowley said the population did not need a racial divide.
But in an immediate response, the Opposition Leader stated, “I have never in my life accused one race of committing criminal attacks against another race in our country. Not lately, not now and not ever!”
Dr Rowley told supporters of a personal situation he had with dealing with crime years ago when his wife Sharon Rowley was seven months pregnant with their first daughter and a man invaded their bedroom at Goodwood Park at 1 am.
Jumping for his throat the man left, he said.
“Had the intruder not thought for a second and jumped out, you would not have seen me today, as I would have been a statistic and it would have had nothing to do with my race, my religion or my class,” Dr Rowley said.
He also reminded attendees of the notorious gang leader of East Indian descent Dole Chadee.
Dr Rowley said, “It does not matter your race or colour, we are all exposed to the criminal elements and if you have what the criminal wants, they would come for what they want.”
In her statement issued on Sunday evening, Persad-Bissessar said should an apology and retraction not be presented, she will be taking legal action against Dr Rowley “for uttering those false defamatory statements” as well as all the media houses and reporters who disseminated his statements.
She said, “Keith Rowley must know that racial tensions can be incited by falsely accusing me of making this divisive statement. It is most irresponsible. It is dangerous and downright nasty politics.
“I want Keith Rowley to know that the lie he told about me yesterday will not stand up in a court of law or the court of public opinion. I call upon Keith Rowley to do the right and responsible thing and apologize. He must set the record straight and admit that what was said was false and malicious.”
The Opposition Leader said she was also concerned that some media houses would have published those statements without attempting to get her comments.
She pointed to a press release she had issued on April 27 which states, “Crime does not discriminate. The victims and perpetrators of crime span all political affiliations, ethnicities, religions, social standings, and income levels. No matter which sector of society we identify with, we must have the humility to accept this fact, put aside emotions and work together for all our citizens. All citizens must equally feel safe in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Persad-Bissessar said, “The above paragraph was sent to all media houses and unequivocally contradicts the statement uttered by Keith Rowley at the PNM event in Toco.”
In advising media houses to be more responsible in their reporting, she said, “I, therefore, call upon those media houses who replayed and disseminated Rowley’s false statement ascribed to me to similarly apologize and correct the grievous harm that has been done to my character and my reputation.”
