Imbert: I needed an ‘ease up’

Young’s appointment to that position was disclosed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley in response to a question from Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

Bharath yesterday insisted that the decision to appoint Young to chair FGP was because of Imbert’s recent comments about considering a possible increase in gasoline prices in the Mid-Year Review and about the need for wage restraint. Bharath also claimed that while Young is competent, the FGP Committee is normally chaired by a senior politician. Other commentators on morning television and radio programmes yesterday expressed similar views. However Imbert said there was no truth in any of their comments.

“My workload was far too heavy. I needed an ease up.” When Opposition MPs insisted that the normal practice was for the Finance Minister to chair the FGP committee, the Prime Minister explained that this was not so. He advised them to speak for themselves and their own misgovernance. Rowley recalled that when he was a Cabinet minister in the former Patrick Manning administration, then Public Administration Minister, Dr Lenny Saith, chaired the FGP committee for five years and there was no issue about that.

Young, who is Portof- Spain North/St Ann’s West MP, is also Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs.