Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has criticized Prime Minister Keith Rowley for his recent remarks in Parliament about the Chinese Government, describing them as “baseless, petty, and potentially damaging.”
During his Budget contribution in Parliament on Thursday, October, Dr Rowley accused the Chinese Government of selling a defective ship to Trinidad and Tobago, a claim Persad-Bissessar argues is unfounded.
She stated, “He has provided no evidence whatsoever to back up these scurrilous allegations.”
Persad-Bissessar called on the media to seek clarification from the Chinese Embassy regarding the vessel’s technical specifications and sea-worthiness certifications. She said there was the need to investigate “when last the vessel was used” and “what types of repairs and maintenance have been carried out in the last nine years under the Rowley Government.”
Highlighting Rowley’s history of controversial statements, she remarked, “Rowley is, as usual, looking for excuses and convenient scapegoats for the blatant failures of his PNM regime.”
She pointed out that Dr Rowley has not addressed the non-functionality of other Coast Guard vessels from different origins.
Persad-Bissessar also noted the timing of Dr Rowley’s comments, suggesting they were intended to embarrass the Chinese Government following her meeting with the Chinese Ambassador Fang Qiu, on October 9, 2024.
She urged Dr Rowley to retract his statements and issue a public apology, calling the attack “very reckless and highly irresponsible.”
