UNC: Detention of Sean Francis a blatant ruse

This was the position of the UNC as outlined by Chief Executive Officer Tim Gopeesingh and Chief Whip Ganga Singh in a news conference yesterday.

Reading from a prepared statement, Gopeesingh said the UNC denied categorically and vehemently any association or link to the bombings which occurred on Frederick Street on July 11 and on George Street on Monday.

He said the UNC was on public record as consistently condemning these dastardly acts of violence perpetuated against the people of TT.

Asked specifically if the party was vouching for Francis, or for itself as a political organisation, Gopeesingh pointed out that the UNC had 89,000 members. He seemed prepared to allow for the possibility that a member might be involved in an unlawful act, but he stressed that this did not necessarily implicate the UNC.

However, Singh was clear that the Francis case was a naked political ploy designed to taint the "legitimate alternative government." "It appears to be a transparent ploy, that you would hold someone on Wednesday night, hold your post-Cabinet press conference (and make the announcement that someone was held) and then at 4 pm release that person, when there is no evidence found to support even an intention," he said.

He said normally when the police held someone for questioning and are engaged in enquiries the matter is treated with "sensitivity" and dealt with "delicately." In this case, however, both the minister and Commissioner of Police provided the information to the media because of the political alliance of the person charged. "How come in the Dhansam Dansook matter there was not that release (of information)?" he asked. He offered as an answer that this administration was serving "politically partisan justice."

Quoting from the statement, Gopeesingh said, "We ask, was the detention of this person calculated to provide the minister with a convenient political ploy to distract the widespread attention from his marked incompetence and failure as a Minister of National Security?" He said the party was asking for Joseph’s "immediate removal" as minister.

Gopeesingh said the UNC was calling on the Government to spare no resources to bring the perpetrators of these "treasonous acts" against the democracy of TT to justice.

He said the UNC was suggesting that assistance from FBI and Scotland Yard be requested to ensure the credibility and integrity of the investigating process, and to ensure that it is free from political manipulation.

He added that the UNC was requesting a similar urgent police response and investigation into the Dhansam Dansook, the Barbadian fishermen and the planting of cocaine in the water tank at Sadiq Baksh’s premises.

Gopeesingh said that while the UNC supported the large number of honest and professional police officers who live up to the high ideals of the Police Service, it was extremely concerned about the growing trend of some senior police officers having a political agenda.

Asked if both sides were involved in the blame game with respect to the bomb blast, Singh said previous statements by the UNC were "fair comment" since all they pointed out was that the PNM’s association with certain criminal elements had created the environment for the bombing. However, he said what the Government was engaged in, that is, "the realm of propaganda, which had no truth," as was demonstrated by the fact that after three hours of questioning the person was released.