UNC, PNM ruining TT

THE National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) yesterday lambasted both the ruling PNM Government and the Opposition UNC party for their respective roles in corrupting Trinidad and Tobago. Addressing a NAR National Council meeting at the party’s Victoria Square headquarters, NAR deputy leader Dr Carson Charles demanded “an end to the hypocrisy” from both Government and Opposition on crime and corruption. Charles said in Trinidad and Tobago, a nexus existed between crime and corruption and the “policies pursued by the party in power.” He said while the UNC was in power, it embraced certain elements, allowed them to become “partners in government” and was now reaping the whirlwind. The NAR deputy leader claimed the PNM has also aligned itself with questionable elements and both sides (PNM and UNC) were blaming one another in an attempt to distract the population from their respective sins. 

Charles declared that while people in TT “are accustomed to scandal”, the PNM and UNC had taken scandal to unprecedented heights. The NAR deputy leader said businessmen do not have altruistic motives in supporting political parties and called for proper legislation governing campaign financing in TT. Charles said no political party could operate solely on its memberships’ dues and the UNC recently had to reduce their own. He stressed that in the absence of proper campaign finance legislation, money will “pass under the table” and corrupt elements will hijack political parties. Charles blamed Government’s inaction for the “upsurge in criminal activity” in TT and wondered what National Security Minister Martin Joseph was doing since “all of his plans are secret.”

NAR political leader Lennox Sankersingh, said Prime Minister Patrick Manning should consider appointing an independent person as National Security Minister since no one within the PNM seemed able to handle that portfolio. Sankersingh and Charles alleged that most of CEPEP’s revenues were being channelled through “a bag company” to PNM supporters. They supported the UNC’s position of non-support for the Anti-Kidnapping Bill 2003 (which became law on July 25, 2003) and the Police Reform Bills, saying Manning could not blame the Opposition non-support for Government’s seeming inability to deal with crime. The UNC has refused to support the latter Bills until there is constitutional reform.