By Sue-Ann Wayow
NO!
This was Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s response to the Opposition’s call for international observers for the local government election.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting hosted by the People’s National Movement (PNM) at the Hilton Trinidad Hotel in Port of Spain on Wednesday, he gave his reasons for his decision.
Dr Rowley said, “Some of our colleagues are telling me, I must invite foreigners to come and observe our local government election. No!”
He asked, “What it is we expect to happen here in a local government election that we are to invite foreigners to come and look at it?”
If they wanted, they were free to visit Trinidad and Tobago but that was not part of his government system, Dr Rowley said.
He said if they were allowed to participate as observers for the election, the country would be selling itself short.
Citizens from Trinidad and Tobago Elections and Boundaries Commission travelled to other countries instead to observe their elections.
“They see us as superstars in that business,” he declared.
On Monday night, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar called for international observers for the upcoming election because she said Dr Rowley could not be trusted.
