As I tend to do with anything coming out of the opposition’s camp, I took this with a grain of salt. Any time opposition politicians say anything is a ‘lie’ or make any sort of allegation as they have been quite busy doing over the past few weeks, I am usually hesitant to read into it because, why pay attention to anything without evidence?
However, in the interest of keeping politicians accountable, I think everyone would appreciate if politicians refrain from having two-tongues. For example, how can Dr. Rowley say this election will be the “mother of all lies” when he himself is guilty of such?
What ever became of those “emails” that Dr. Rowley read into the Hansard record of Parliament? Those emails alleged criminal conduct on the part of the Prime Minister and members of her administration – a very serious allegation. But didn’t Google say those emails never existed?
What about his allegation that the then AG, Anand Ramlogan, went to Trinidad and Tobago’s mission in New York and made Racist statements? If I remember correctly, the then AG had stated that he had never travelled to New York during his tenure as Attorney General at that time. And Dr Rowley had to apologise.
On October 31st 2011, the Leader of the Opposition wrote to the Integrity Commission accusing the Prime Minister of breaching the Integrity in Public Life Act Chapter 22:01, in the exercise of her veto power in an appointment to the FIU.
However, on January 16th 2012 the Integrity Commission wrote to the Prime Minister stating “The Commission advises that, having considered this matter; it determined that there has been no breach of the Integrity in Public Life Act.” What was Dr. Rowley’s response following this?
Let us not forget that on March 7th 2012 the Leader of the Opposition claimed that Reshmi Ramnarine was employed in an unspecified capacity with the People’s Partnership Government after changing her name to “Shashi”. It was reported in the Express newspaper the next day that she was employed at the Ministry of Education.
As it turned out, this too was proven to be false as the Minister of Education Dr. Tim Gopeesingh stated that there was no one employed in the Ministry of Education by that name.
Again, in May 2012, the Leader of the Opposition wrote the Integrity Commission about the Prime Minister’s sister and took issue with her accompanying the PM on state visits. The Prime Minister disclosed that on September 12th, 2010 the Integrity Commission wrote to her stating “Pursuant to Section 33 of the Integrity in Public Life Act, Chapter 22:01 the Integrity Commission has conducted an investigation into an alleged breach of the Act, to wit: Ms. Vidwatie Newton, a non-employee of the State, travels on overseas trips which were financed by the Office of the Prime Minister. Kindly be advised that the Commission has found no breach of the Integrity of Public Life Act, Chapter 22:01 by anyone at the Office of the Prime Minister.”
After these (among other) issues, I strongly believe that Dr. Rowley should state his current position on these matters instead of trying to hide behind smokescreens and declaring self-righteousness by feigning innocence. The assertion that the opposition leader is a truthful man is in itself, a lie. Dr. Rowley seems to have an immaculate penchant for falsifications and misinformation as his track record of fabrication and truth-bending precedes him.
My question to Dr. Rowley is a simple one. Since you, Dr. Rowley, have dubbed this election as the “Mother of all lies”, would you or have you been contributing to it being this way as you have done in the past?
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