By Sue-Ann Wayow
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley never intended to meet with local government representatives as he was in quarantine.
Member of Parliament for Oropouche West Davendranath Tancoo posted on social media that according to Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi, Dr Rowley stayed away from the meeting on Tuesday due to the Opposition boycott.
However, Dr Rowley was in quarantine and resumed work on Thursday, an official release from the Office of the Prime Minister stated.
Tancoo stated, “Then Rowley never intended to attend the local government meeting?”
He questioned if Al-Rawi or Dr Rowley was misleading the nation.
On Tuesday, Al-Rawi at a press conference emphasised that the meeting was well coordinated by way of contact to every single municipal corporation Government-led and Opposition-led asking them to attend a “crucial” meeting because for the first time, a prime minister would have been available to listen to their concerns and respond to their questions in one forum.
He said it was highly disappointing that the Opposition representatives led by its leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar choose to boycott that meeting.
With the information, that the Opposition would not be attending, Dr Rowley then instead sent Government Minister Camille Robinson-Regis to represent him, Al-Rawi had said.
The release from the Prime Minister’s Office stated, “Prime Minister Dr the Hon Keith Rowley has completed the stipulated period of isolation in keeping with Trinidad and Tobago’s current Covid-19 protocol. Dr Rowley has been cleared to resume work without restriction from today (Thursday 11th August 2022).”
“As a result of his quarantine period, the prime minister cancelled all of his engagements including his attendance at the Local Government forum on Tuesday and the ceremony to confer the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC) on calypsonian David Rudder which was held at the Diplomatic Centre yesterday.”
The release stated that Dr Rowley is expected to attend and deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union’s 53rd General Assembly on Monday in Tobago.
Dr Rowley and his family extended thanks to the many thousands of citizens and other well-wishers at home and abroad, who expressed their prayers and best wishes for him during his two-week period of symptoms and isolation, the release also stated.
