WHERE is Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar?

This is the question being asked by Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles as the nation is yet to hear from Persad-Bissessar since Venezuela was attacked by the US on Saturday.

Since Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured by US forces on Saturday, Persad-Bissessar has only made brief social media statements on the matter.

Beckles in a statement on Sunday noted that although a press conference was held at the United National Congress (UNC) headquarters in Chaguanas, Persad-Bissessar did not attend.

She said, “Trinidad and Tobago cannot be expected to accept a Prime Minister who seems unwilling to make herself available to the media and more importantly, to the people she was elected to serve.”

Beckles said the press conference was poorly executed and appeared to be a deliberate attempt to distract the population from the more serious issue.

Speaking at the press conference were Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Sean Sobers, Housing Minister David Lee and chairman of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Feeroz Khan.

Beckles said, “While Minister Sobers suggested that the prime minister does not need to address the nation because “no one in Trinidad feels unsafe,” the public is still owed answers. Leadership demands transparency and accountability, not silence and deflection.”

Critical questions remain unanswered she said.

Beckles asked:

·       What is the current status of our airports and the flights that were delayed or cancelled?

·       Why were streets cordoned off in Port of Spain?

·       What is Trinidad and Tobago’s position regarding CARICOM and the recent developments affecting the region?

·       Will the Prime Minister continue her disrespectful stance toward the Chief Secretary of the THA on matters of national security?

·       When will she begin addressing issues relating to international law and the UN Charter?

·       Most importantly, what should the wider society expect moving forward?

 And she also asked, “If leaders such as Mia Mottley, Irfaan Ali, and Donald Trump can address their nations on matters of public importance, why is the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago hiding?”