Moonilal calls PM ‘national comic’

OROPOUCHE MP Dr Roodal Moonilal found himself in the unusual position of hypnotising his political leader Basdeo Panday as he spoke in the House of Representatives on Friday.

While Moonilal was speaking during debate on an Act to amend the Income Tax Act Chap 75:01, the Opposition Leader turned his back to House Speaker Barry Sinanan, was seemingly mesmerised by the Oropouche MP’s words and was often the only UNC parliamentarian thumping his desk and cheering on Moonilal as he criticised the ruling PNM. He drew the attention of House Speaker Barry Sinanan who advised him not to speak during Moonilal’s contribution. “Don’t waste time,” Panday replied as he hastily stood up and walked out of the chamber before Sinanan could utter another word. The UNC leader returned some 20 minutes later and again kept his chair turned towards Moonilal while he spoke.

Moonilal described Prime Minister Patrick Manning as “a national comic” for speaking about the infiltration of illegal guns from Venezuela into Trinidad and Tobago. The UNC MP scoffed that Manning should dispatch a diplomatic team led by Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift to Caracas and take up the matter with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. He said Government should “take a bow” for the number of murders which took place in the country during the last week. Moonilal claimed Government had slashed some $1.5 million in funding to the Ministry of National Security.  He also alleged that the UNC had established a radar system around the country and “got rid of the drug lords”. He wondered how former PNM Pointe-a-Pierre candidate Farad Khan could sit on the Board of Directors of the Estate Management and Business Company and people be convinced that Government would equitably distribute Caroni’s lands.

Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath claimed Khan was fired from the State oil company Petrotrin’s Board of Directors. Moonilal alleged that the CEPEP programme would “clean out” the Treasury and the PNM was “tiefing in the night and then going to church in the morning”. He also lamented that newly appointed Junior Finance Minister Christine Sahadeo seemed to be highly favoured by Manning over Junior Trade Minister Diane Seukeran, who is also San Fernando West MP. Seukeran grinned in amusement at Moonilal’s claims. Moonilal also alleged that CEPEP was usurping the role of the National Training Agency involving the establishment of small companies.