By Sue-Ann Wayow
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley says he has no intention of meeting with political leader of the National Transformation Alliance and former police commissioner Gary Griffith.
Dr Rowley was also asked by Naparima MP Rodney Charles in Parliament on Wednesday if he had any intention of meeting with Griffith who had made his office in a video earlier this week.
He said, “As chairman of the National Security Council of Trinidad and Tobago, I have very good reasons not to meet with Gary Griffith under any circumstances.”
There was loud desk thumping accompanying his answer especially from National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.
The prime minister added, “And in so far as meeting with the Opposition is concerned, I meet with them all the time in this Chamber, in front of you Madam Speaker and they have obstructed every single attempt we had to fight crime in this country.
“In the event that the Opposition intends to change its course and support the Government in crime fighting as this country’s Opposition in this Chamber and out of this Chamber the Government always stand ready so to do.”
Charles was cautioned several times during his line of questioning by House Speaker Brigid Annisette-George as she pointed him to Standing Order 30 in relation to how questions were posed and what were allowed.
Charles further asked, “Would you not say that there are benefits to consultation with people who may know more than you about the crime situation in Trinidad?”
Dr Rowley responded, “The member might be surprised but we do that all the time.”
On the topic of repatriation for citizens in war torn Syria, he said given the nature of the problem, it was not as simplistic to just have them brought back to the country and could not give timelines for such.
And when asked again, given the crime situation that the Ministry of National Security be split into two portfolios, Dr Rowley responded, “It does not make sense.”
Why would the Hon. Prime Minister want to meet with certain individuals who in the past year or so, had nothing good to say about the Prime Minister.
This country is being destroyed not by bandits but by the Politicians who criticize you in the most terrible way today and want to be a good friend of yours tomorrow. This is not how we get our citizens to appreciate and support a Government.
For this country to truly get out of the current situation of crime, we need to turn a def ear to political bandits who gives you the impression that they know best!