I stand to unify the country. You stand to divide it, Kamla tells Rowley

PM Kamla Persad-Bissesssar - Photo: Kevan Gibbs

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday called on Keith Rowley to apologise to the nation for several racist comments made by members of the People's National Movement (PNM).

She suggested that Rowley was not sincere when he said recently, "I strongly condemn all racist statements from whatever source and for whichever purpose…The PNM does not run its campaign on race."

"Well I’m sorry it just doesn’t wash," she said as she addressed a large crowd of supporters at a UNC Monday Night Forum at the Gasparillo Secondary School.

She reminded her audience of the "Calcutta Ship" statement by THA candidate Hilton Sandy in 2013 election.  Rowley was sitting on the platform when Sandy made the statement: "There is a ship at Calcutta waiting to sail to Tobago. That ship is waiting to sail to Tobago; they are waiting to get the results of this election, if you bring the wrong results, Calcutta ship is coming down for you!’”

Rowley did not condemn the statement and said Sandy was a man who had served the party well and that he was an inspiration to the youth.

The UNC leader also spoke about the recent statement by PNM Youth leader Fitzgerald Hinds who commented about "alligators from the murky lagoon."


She said, "I told Rowley that having planted rice, I was proud to have come from a lagoon. I called on him to condemn Hinds’ statement. He still hasn’t. 

And don’t forget either another Hinds statement that Rowley never condemned. 

When a rasta kissed my hand during my tour of the flooded areas in Maraval Hinds said: "I saw an idiot little rasta boy kissing the Prime Minister's palm. That made me sick. And if I had my way, I cut every dreadlock off his head, every one…that idiot boy, what a rude little dreadlock."

"So I’m sorry words are not enough. It’s by your deeds you will be judged Dr Rowley.

"If you were genuine you would condemn racist statements whenever they appear from members of the front ranks of your party.

"Your silence is deafening. Ours is the party of unity; yours is the Party of division.

I stand to unify the country. You stand to divide it.
 
Persad-Bissessar also called on Rowley to say what he has done for Diego Martin West after all his years as the MP for the constituency, including the years he was in government.

She noted that it was her government that built the Diego Martin Highway, several schools and the new Carenage Health Centre, which she said she would openly soon.
She also made it clear that unlike other leaders, she will never negotiate with criminals and gang leaders. Persad-Bissessar reiterated her government's zero tolerance policy on crime and promised to give the police all the resources they need to bring criminals to justice.