(Trinidad Express) Contrary to the statements of Government spokespeople over the past week that Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley did not have the support of all his Parliamentarians, and that some of them would vote with the Government, all Opposition members expressed no confidence in Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, voting solidly in support on Saturday of their leader’s motion.
By a vote of 29 against and 11 for, the motion was defeated.
“This motion of no-confidence in the Prime Minister has been defeated in the House of Representatives by a majority,” House Speaker Wade Mark said to thunderous desk-thumping from the Government side. Mark’s announcement came at 5.20 p.m. after some 27-and-a-half hours of continuous debate.
The Government amended the preamble of the motion to state: “Whereas the Prime Minister and her historic People’s Partnership Government inherited an economy in decline, a culture of waste and rampant crime, debilitating corruption and a style of arrogance in leadership which led to a disconnect between the people and the Government.”
While the rationale was changed, the resolution that the House was being asked to express no confidence in the Prime Minister remained.
And therefore as the vote was taken, Government MPs shouted “No” to a man, while certain Opposition MPs were equally strident in the affirmative.
Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert for example said “One hundred per cent yes”, while La Brea MP, Fitzgerald Jeffrey said “Absolutely yes.”
At one point it seemed that St Ann’s East MP Joanne Thomas was unsure of what she wanted to say, but she said “Yes”.
Speaking earlier Rowley apologised to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan whom he had accused of asking about the ethnic composition of staff at the Trinidad and Tobago New York mission.
