By Alicia Chamely
ON the eve of the swearing in of Prime Minister-elect Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the ruling party’s choice of Attorney General, former prime minister and leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM Dr Keith Rowley is accusing the incoming United National Congress government of planning to use position to thwart both financial and criminal investigations and court case of its friends and financiers.
On Wednesday evening, in his final interview as political leader of the PNM, he said the people of T&T should be concerned that the new government elected has members who are currently being investigated or before the court with respect to white collar crime and other criminal matters.
Rowley accused the UNC government of using its position in the past to delay or mishandle matters of white collar crime against them.
Touching on the corruption case against those involved in the construction of the Piarco International Airport he said it was his government that worked to hold those involved accountable and to recover around US$1billion. He said the UNC government did nothing between 2010 and 2015 to address this matter.
Rowley said, “This government in their prior incarnation refused to prosecute the matter, they let it lie dormant for the five years that the UNC was there under the current PM.”
He said it was up to people to public to ensure pressure was put on the new government to ensure all monies still outstanding is recovered, “because people involved in those matters were up front in funding this government and arranging electoral victory for this government with the expectation of hope that the government will act in their interest and not the public interest.”
Rowley beyond white collar crime, which he said judging by the outcome of the elections the population does not take seriously, there are members within the UNC camp who are of interest in matters that are a cause of concern regarding national security. He warned the population that the new government will use its position to protect these people from accountability.
He said, “There some people with questions to answer about national security issues, who are attracting the attention of the police, and this government is going to make sure, if they run true to form, that such people cozy up to the government and therefore not be held accountable for serious questions.”
Rowley expressed his lack of confidence in the new government elect in preventing and punishing crime by those close to their party.
He urged citizens to do their duty in ensuring the new UNC government is held accountable for any misconduct that may take place while they are in power.
As of midnight on Wednesday, Rowley officially retired from politics, resigning as political leader of the PNM.
