UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher to address the allegations made by Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Farley Augustine. Persad-Bissessar made this request during a joint meeting of the United National Congress (UNC) and National Transformation Alliance (NTA) on Wednesday night in Port-of-Spain.
During the meeting, Persad-Bissessar, dressed in NTA’s signature blue, emphasized the seriousness of Augustine’s allegations and urged Rowley and Harewood-Christopher to clarify their veracity. She referred to Augustine’s claims of a troubling scheme involving the Prime Minister, the Commissioner of Police, and other high-ranking officials. According to Persad-Bissessar, a whistleblower has alleged that he met with the Prime Minister and the Commissioner of Police, and they conspired together. Persad-Bissessar also expressed her concerns about attempts by the ruling PNM party to buy votes through bribery, even showing a check as evidence.
Furthermore, Persad-Bissessar stated that the whistleblower claimed to have been paid and promised $275,000 to provide an affidavit falsely incriminating Farley and others in the THA. She also criticized the PNM’s alleged efforts to coerce and manipulate law enforcement officers for political gain, pointing to previous statements made by Gary Griffith, the leader of NTA. Persad-Bissessar warned that the actions employed against Griffith and Augustine could be employed against any member of the opposition.
Persad-Bissessar continued by accusing the TTPS hierarchy of colluding with the PNM government to persecute political opponents, which she described as characteristic of a dictatorial regime. She further claimed that Special Branch officers were being coerced into spying for the government and that the Police Service was divided under Harewood-Christopher’s leadership.
Echoing Persad-Bissessar’s sentiments, Gary Griffith, dressed in a blue shirt over a yellow jersey, accused Prime Minister Rowley of being a dictator who sought control over the TTPS and independent bodies. Griffith alleged that during his tenure, Rowley had asked him to make arrests in people’s homes, which he refused to do. Furthermore, Griffith claimed that $45 million had been deposited into the TTPS’ account and he was given instructions on whom to hire. He compared Rowley’s requests to dictatorship and stated that he was asked to target three political opponents.
The joint meeting between the UNC and NTA was held in preparation for the upcoming Local Government Elections on August 14. Both Persad-Bissessar and Griffith voiced their concerns about the government’s alleged corruption and abuse of power, urging Rowley and Harewood-Christopher to address the serious allegations made by Augustine and the whistleblower.
In response to the allegations, the government has yet to make an official statement, leaving unanswered questions about the truth behind the claims. As the election approaches, the public eagerly awaits a response and further information regarding these allegations that have sparked controversy and raised concerns about democracy and transparency in Trinidad and Tobago.
