T&T PM opts out Rio+20 Summit

(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will not be attending the Rio+20 Sustainability Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this week even though she had accepted an invitation to participate in a specific meeting during the event.

According to Environment Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal the Prime Minister has opted to focus on the ongoing Cabinet reconfiguration exercise.

Moonilal, who was among those also scheduled to attend the event, made the disclosure during a TV6 News report on Saturday night.

“The Prime Minister did receive an invitation from the officials from Brazil to attend but the Prime Minister will not attend either so that the Prime Minister and a couple of the Ministers who were due to attend have opted to remain home to participate in what is really a very important national concern which is the reconfiguration of the Cabinet and the reorganisation of the Government to ensure optimum delivery of goods and services to the people here in Trinidad and Tobago,” Moonilal said.

The other ministers who were due to attend the Summit are Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan and Planning and Economy Minister Bhoendradatt Tewarie.

Moonilal also said the Prime Minister is now engaged in an “extensive and exhaustive process with ministers and that process continues early into next week”.

Persad-Bissessar told reporters last week that she will not make a final decision on the Cabinet reconfiguration before the Labour Day holiday tomorrow.