Trinidad PM sees hope for the country in Marlene’s arrest

Dr Keith Rowley
Dr Keith Rowley

(Trinidad Express) The police action against corruption accused Marlene McDonald is not a crisis but a ray of hope says Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

Speaking at the Post Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s today Rowley said the system is working and the population should feel good that the cops are going after white collar criminals.

“It is not a crisis. It is a ray of hope.

Where you are seeing crisis today, we are saying to you the people of Trinidad and Tobago, feel good about it. This is how it is supposed to happen. This is how it is happening for the first time,” said Rowley.

The Prime Minister said this is the “new” Trinidad and Tobago as be assured that the country is not in crisis and “the ship of State is sailing smoothly”.

Rowley said the capacity of the police to pursue white collar crime ‘did not exist in the eyes of the public’.

He disclosed that he went abroad with the national security minister and met with the British who lent assistance.

“That is why you see what is happening” he said.

Corruption, he said, had become a way of life in the country and his Govern-ment worked to address it.

“I wasn’t elected to be reelected. I was elected to fix this country’s problems,” he said.

“Exactly what you want to happen is happening. If persons, especially public officials misconduct themselves, there must be policing to identify the misconduct and the person must be held accountable and it will end up at a trial in the courthouse where they’re innocent until proven guilty,” he added.

“That is what you want and when I say we are building a new society, this is what the new society is to expect. The system is working,” he added.