‘Hostility’ to farmers

Stating that the FIU Act speaks of persons like card and jewellry dealers who could unwittingly find themselves involved in money laundering and terrorist financing, Hinds said the legislation makes no reference to farmers. Disclosing that he does some kitchen gardening and has an appreciation for the struggles that farmers endure in growing crops, Hinds said while farmers feed the nation with food there are others “who feed us with drugs.” Referring to the events in Mausica, Hinds claimed that deceased National Food Crop Farmers Association education officer Norris Deonarine “must be turning in his grave,” over what happened there. Hinds added that many of those farmers voted for the People’s Partnership coalition last May and it was this Government which “had farmers crying over the Easter weekend.

Noting that members of the coalition previously criticised former prime minister Patrick Manning for saying he knew who Mr Big was, Hinds countered: “I thought you should know who Mr Big is.” Charging that the People’s Partnership had severely curtailed the country’s efforts to deal with crime since it assumed office, Hinds claimed there were drug dealers who were now operating in the country “without a hiccup.” Alleging that there activities are widespread, Hinds said: “Access to drugs is as easy as taking candy from a baby.”

Responding to taunts from Government senator David Abdulah, Hinds questioned why Abdulah had gone silent after the Public Services Association (PSA) accepted the five percent wage increase from the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) when he had publicly agitated against it. Hinds further alleged that the trade union movement was debating over the weekend whether to “bobolise” Abdulah or PSA president Watson Duke over the weekend and it was Duke who was picked.