(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar reiterated last night that there is no truth to the Section 34 e-mails released by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.
“What we saw this week was rage —a spectacle of anger and hate from a man who came to our Parliament with the most malicious and irresponsible set of lies ever presented in our legislature,” said Persad-Bissessar.
Persad-Bissessar was speaking at the People’s Partnership’s third anniversary celebrations at Mid Centre Mall, Chaguanas, last night.
“They scream corruption and conspiracy with every breath, and at no time can they show you where or what this corruption or conspiracy is,” said Persad-Bissessar.
“The motion he presented in Parliament—and then ran away—has demonstrated that the member Rowley is a disgrace to Parliament and is not fit to hold the office of Leader of the Opposition,” she said.
Rowley, she said, has brought his office, Parliament and politics into disrepute.
“He is more concerned with grandstanding than with the truth. In short, he tells tall tales and is willing to do anything for a headline and to get what he wants,” she said.
“Let me say it again for those who may not have heard me say it before…the allegations made this week by the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament are false, malicious and reckless. They have been discredited by anyone who took the time to review them. That is a fact,” said Persad-Bissessar.
Persad-Bissessar noted that Rowley received the e-mails six months ago, and instead of passing them to the Cyber Crime Unit of the police, he took it to the president who, in turn, passed it on to the Integrity Commission.
She said as soon as Rowley raised the issue in Parliament, she moved immediately to hand it over to the police for investigation, so it was now before both the police and Integrity Commission.
“I have also said I am willing to hand over my computer, my BlackBerry or anything else that is required for the investigation because I know that my hands are clean and my heart is pure,” said Persad-Bissessar.
Persad-Bissessar dismissed Rowley’s concern that one of the e-mails might be true, saying he was holding the Parliament hostage with his “utter foolishness”.
“How can one man be so reckless? Why would someone who has what he calls compelling evidence of a super conspiracy involving the PM, the AG and a senior Cabinet Minister not rush to report this matter to the police? His failure to do so shows his irresponsibility,” she said.
“Suppose those e-mails were real, in such a case, he would be guilty of negligence for not reporting the matter to the police,” she added.
Rowley, she said, knew the e-mails were bogus but still went to Parliament with the hope that his allegations would bring down her Government, but it did not work.
