TT facing ruin because of PM Rowley’s indiscipline, incompetence: UNC

Trinidad and Tobago: Releasing a series of allegations on Prime Minister Keith Rowley after he imposed restriction in wake of COVID-19, UNC accused that PM during press conference compared himself admiringly with the 92 year old, blind Dominican dictator, Joaquín Balaguer.

“In true despotic style, Keith Rowley unilaterally shut down businesses, livelihoods, and incomes of the masses of Trinidadians and Tobagonians.
Trinidad and Tobago is being made to face ruin because of Rowley’s indiscipline, incompetence and inhumanity.”

UNC stated that Prime Minister Rowley seeks to blame everyone but himself for the disaster that he has created and worsens every day. The Prime Minister does not acknowledge that he disastrously informed the country just a few weeks ago: “Tobago was almost full and overflowing — the place to be is in Tobago. And I tell you, the best vacation you can have at home in Trinidad and Tobago is in Tobago.”

At the end of that very Easter weekend in Tobago, Keith Rowley was then diagnosed with covid (for which he tested positive three times). Consequently, 35 of his associates were contact traced and placed in quarantine as a result. To this day, Rowley says he does not know how he got it and where he got it. However, epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds attributed the recent spike in cases in Trinidad and Tobago to that Easter Weekend.

“In addition, Rowley has failed to secure the borders of our small twin-island state, with its 81 identified entry points. His failure has allowed a likely illegal Venezuelan migrant to bring in the more deadly and virulent Brazilian P1 variant to enter Trinidad and Tobago and become infectious through community spread,” the statement read.

Instead of resolving to lock down our borders, what he has chosen to do is lockdown T&T incomes, livelihoods and the economy. While doing so — in his usual wajang, raging bull nature — Rowley attacked the citizens, the Opposition, workers, families, children, and small and medium-sized businesses, all in an attempt to cover up and distract from his failure, UNC accused.

“Out of the blue today, he dictatorially announced that as of midnight he will unilaterally shut down malls, restaurants, cinemas, gyms, spas, places of worship, and more. Not only does Rowley not give anyone any time for even 24 hours preparation, he does not even bother to think of offering support to the workers and small business owners whose livelihoods he has destroyed.”

Of course, Rowley does not care. He never has, and never will. This is because we all know that the regulations will never apply to him, his friends, family or financiers.

“So while he verbally abuses families for conducting their legitimate business of familial interaction, he does not similarly bash or name and shame his financier friend who held a massive wedding of over 250 invitees in St. Clair, with Cabinet Ministers allegedly in attendance, in full violation of covid rules.”

“While Rowley dictatorially threatens that police will enter innocent citizens’ homes for suspected violations of his draconian laws, he does not call for charges to be laid against his Attorney General or his pet financier.”

UNC added that ordinary citizens are expected to face the viciousness of the Rowley regime — due to Rowley’s own indiscipline — without any support whatsoever. Everyone is supposed to simply fend for themselves. The country will suffer more hardship under his brutish rule.

The UNC rejects Rowley and the PNM’s backwards approach to managing covid and will be seeking ways to ensure that people’s livelihoods, health and rights can be maintained against this new, wannabe Caribbean dictator.

The citizens of this country must not be made to pay the price for Keith Rowley’s irresponsibility, incompetence and inhumanity.