PM speaks to nation tonight

The address to the nation will be aired on both radio and television channels, a release from the Office of the Prime Minister said yesterday.

Political commentator Dr Winford James was among some who questioned why the urgency for a national address at this time given that he has been on different media “acting as his own PRO (public relations officer)” on his Government’s performance over the last year and what he intends to do in the future.

James said Rowley kept reminding citizens in his almost two-hour television interview during the week that he has a job to do, that he will do it to the best of his ability and within the circumstances.

“One wonders what has happened that would have occasioned a national address at this time,” he said.

The upcoming budget statement, James said, should be able to answer many of the questions that will be on the minds of citizens.

If Rowley was going to review his Government’s performance, James said, he needs to assure the country about its development goals, to deal aggressively with crime, and how the country will earn foreign exchange and keep jobs.

Given the fall in energy prices and the parlous state of affairs with people paying more for less, James said he would like to know how Government will go about diversifying the economy in order to raise more income.

He would like to know how Rowley was going to set about his developmental priorities and what will be done in the next year.

He would also expect him to address what new initiatives, if any, that his Cabinet has come up with, with respect to reducing the high and serious levels of criminality in the country. Nevertheless, a source told Sunday Newsday that Rowley’s address will be essentially to mark the first anniversary of the People’s National Movement (PNM) in government under his leadership.

The address was scheduled to be recorded at the studios of a private company, Advance Dynamics, yesterday for distribution to media houses subsequently for broadcast at 7.30 this evening.

The PNM won the general election of September 7 last year, and Rowley has been making the rounds of select media during the past week to review the administration’s performance since assuming office.

Apart from a major newspaper interview, Rowley occupied most of a two-hour morning television programme during the past week, and is scheduled to be on one of the radio stations today on which he has already had air time during the week.

In one of the interviews, he said there would be Cabinet changes but would announce them after the budget. Speculation about a possible reinstatement of fired housing minister, Port-of- Spain South MP Marlene McDonald arose when she took part in recent crime talks with the Opposition.

Rowley, at a post-Cabinet briefing, noted an ongoing investigation by the Integrity Commission over allegations against McDonald over the acquisition of a residence for her common- law husband are ongoing but did not rule out her return to Cabinet if cleared.

McDonald’s successor, Housing Minister and San Fernando East MP, Randall Mitchell, yesterday said he did not know the reason for the Prime Minister’s address tonight. “You would have to ask the Prime Minister that,” Mitchell told reporters at a HDC key distribution ceremony in San Fernando.

On how he would feel if McDonald was cleared of allegations and re-instated to her post, Mitchell said, “That’s entirely within the prerogative of the Prime Minister, so I’ll leave that to him.”