Nation has been grappling with PNM for close to 6 years: UNC Leader

Trinidad and Tobago: UNC Leader Kamla Persad appreciated the involvement of every citizen in the recent Virtual Report.

Her statement as follows: 

“Just yesterday, the Hindu community and all communities celebrated Phagwa or Holi. Last night the Muslim community marked Shab e Barat. Sunday was also Palm Sunday, so on one day, all three major religions celebrating auspicious days.

Tomorrow we celebrate Shouter Baptist Liberation Day, and we are heading into Holy Week. These events and occasions not only reflect the rich diversity of our country but encourage us to reflect on our current circumstances and our future.

And the way things have been going – we do need prayer. We need all the prayers we can get. Our country needs prayer because of the destruction wrought by this PNM government led by Keith Rowley.

We have been fighting the novel coronavirus for over a year now, but the country has been grappling with the PNM for close to 6 years.

Now, our country is facing the direst and urgent crisis it has ever faced as a result of this government’s mismanagement, incompetence, corruption and deceit.

Last year at a media briefing, the AG on 31st August 2020 said: “as per the new Public Health Regulations, which outlines a fixed penalty notice for not wearing a mask in public, children over the age of 8 who are seen in public or travelling in vehicles – they can be charged.”

Faris has been making laws for us citizens to wear masks in our vehicles with big fines if we fail to do so.

But he has no difficulty, no issue, no problem attending a game show because, according to him, it was like “sitting at a restaurant.”

No social distancing, no masks, but he wants to fine children for not wearing a mask.

Is there one law for citizens and another law for friends, family and financiers?

How many citizens have been ticketed for “sitting at a restaurant?” How many citizens have been ticketed under this law?

Faris, the AG who made the law for everyone, cannot respect the very law he made. Does he not believe in his own law? His own words do not make sense to him?

Well, that wouldn’t be surprising because he keeps bringing flawed legislation to parliament, and we have to fix it from machine gun children to recusal king, to crocodile tears to now unmasked man – truly an enigma of corruption.

But what was even worse than Faris’s dancing – was his Leader’s reaction.

His Attorney General broke his own law, but all Keith could say was that he was disappointed?

So what now, Faris goes in the naughty corner?

Nah, man, we won’t accept that. You know in my Cabinet, an infraction like this – the culprit would’ve immediately been fired. But like Faris has something on Rowley? So he would keep defending him? Keep making excuses for him?

A rap on the knuckles and an expression of disappointment?

Look at what is happening in Bermuda. Two of Bermuda’s leading cabinet ministers resigned over breach of Covid-19 rules.

Jamaica Observer – Bermuda’s leading cabinet ministers quit over breach of COVID-19 rules; two of Bermuda’s leading cabinet officials resigned on Monday night after sparking a furore by attending an exclusive party at a plush restaurant where coronavirus (COVID-19) regulations were breached.

A frustrated Premier Burt stated in a statement, “the events of this weekend seen widely on social-media did not represent this government’s months of struggle and hard work to keep Bermuda safe.

“Every resident has been forced to make significant changes in how we live, work and socialise; ministers are no difference.

Sounds familiar? So Rowley was disappointed and that was the end of it. But in Bermuda the Prime Minister invited these recalcitrant Ministers to resign.

So the second most senior Minister in the Cabinet breaks his own law that he piloted and all Rowley could say is that he is disappointed.

Well Rowley we are not just disappointed in you, you are a total failure, total incompetent and you should fire Faris.

You cannot have the key lawmaker in your government breaking the law. And nothing happens. What is the example set for the rest of the country?

Rowley should fire him forthwith. This is the unmasking of the Rowley government. Government has no intention to reopen the country. They are living nice in lockdown. The lockdown laws are for you – not for Faris, Rowley and his team.

This is why they gutted the Procurement law! So they could continue to procure without accountability.

You have one Regulator, then they removed all the government-to-government relationships, they removed medical services, they removed legal services, they removed financial services out of the jurisdiction of the Procurement Regulator to do what? To put it in the hands of the Cabinet and the Minister of Finance.

One law for them, one law for the rest of the people of the country. Today there’s a real vaccine hesitancy issue facing us, and without the vaccine we cannot open up the country. So when the citizens see the AG conducting himself in this irresponsible manner it highlights the fact that the PNM does not care about who lost jobs, whose businesses shut down, who lost their lives – they just don’t care.

Whilst we are in the fight for our lives, for our country, we have an AG flouting the law. The PNM does not want Trinidad and Tobago to recover.

No money for relief for citizens, In his press conference on Saturday Rowley spent a lot of time berating citizens of this country about their behaviour and kept saying we have no money if we have to go into another lockdown.

Now it was hard to take him seriously eh – because he was standing there like a joker in his festive shirt when everyone else is in proper work attire. He’s already on holiday!

Because it is serious business – the people were waiting to hear what plan the government had for getting our country back on track. But Rowley insulted and bouffed people – blaming them for the rise in cases. And basically threatening them that they would see no money from this government if things get worse.

I want to remind Rowley – Sir, your job is to ensure that people are protected and provided for. That is the basic mandate of any government.

It is bad enough that you are threatening people saying “nothing for you” if we have to lockdown – but your business fix.

Faris business fix. His family will still be collecting their millions in rent – before, during and after the lockdown.Stuart business fix. And Colm made sure his business was fixed.

Food Cards and General Elections, Last week Friday on the Motion of No Confidence against the Minister of Finance he stated that because of the Government’s Performance – “that’s how the PNM won the General Elections”.

He also said the economy was in “good hands” – but I don’t know which country he was talking about, it could not be Trinidad and Tobago.

We have in our possession a letter dated 02nd March 2021 from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development, and in this you see how the pieces of the puzzle become clearer – how they used tricks in the last general election.

The letter gives the data regarding the number of food cards that have been distributed for two years, fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2020.

In fiscal year 2019, there were 33,705 persons on the food card programme, out of that only 4,654 persons were on temporary food cards. This cost the taxpayers- $159 Million.

Focus on the temporary food cards, that is where the answer lies. In fiscal year 2020 [Covid-19 pandemic], the Government kept 28,380 persons on the permanent food card, similar to 2019.

But the number of temporary food cards went distributed for fiscal 2020- 79,034, from 2019- 2020- they went up from 4,654 to 79,034. It costs the taxpayers – $271 Million!!!

$271 Million for food cards in an election year! These temporary food cards are not regular food cards valued at $510, $650 or $800, these food cards are valued at $1530!

Who are these persons who benefited? I am happy for those who receive support, but it must be done fairly and equitably. They did this right before the General Elections of 2020!

PNM has always used the Treasury for campaign purposes- Skull- arship Slush fund, CEPEP, URP and now Food cards.

During the Standing Finance Committee of the Parliament for Budget 2021- the Minister of Local Government had to submit data relating to 

The data submitted shows how the PNM discriminates against the citizens of this country who do not support them.

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