(Trinidad Express) Government was on Tuesday accused of using National Security helicopters for campaigning in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her frontline MPs tried to put on a brave face but they looked somewhat crestfallen as the PNM ramajayed in the House of Representatives in the face of the 12-0 landslide in by the People’s National Movement (PNM) in the THA election.
“Mr Speaker, it was wetting, after wetting, after wetting,” an upbeat and highly energised Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert declared, flicking his hand in the motion synonymous with giving licks. Laughter flowed like water from the PNM bench during his contribution.
The PNM women were decked off in red while the men wore red shirts, or red ties. Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley was not present in the House.
But Imbert could not resist references to the THA election as he lambasted Government for using the State-owned military helicopters as its personal taxi for politicking and transporting soca artistes to its party rallies.
Noting that Government had failed to answer questions from the Opposition about the use of the helicopters, Imbert said: “Taking Machel Montano to Tobago? We know, yuh know! We are simply seeking confirmation of what the whole country knows… Mr Speaker I was in Tobago on Saturday and I saw a National Security helicopter on the tarmac all day just waiting to ferry persons from the other side back and forth to campaign in the Tobago election.”
Imbert said the national security equipment was not a taxi. He noted that while there was an increase in violent crime, “these helicopters were not being used as part of a matrix of defence”.
“These helicopters instead of being used as part of the overall marine defence strategy are being used as taxis to carry soca stars, calypsonians to and from political rallies in various parts of Trinidad and Tobago. I call on the Government to stop it, stop using the helicopters to take people to political rallies!
“The people are tired to this. And you saw it! That election was a complete rejection of the policies of this Government,” he said to deskthumping and to a chorus of “yes” from his PNM colleagues.
