Valley enrages UNC in Parliament

LEADER of Government Business, Ken Valley, nearly caused the Opposition UNC to storm out of Parliament when he accused them of being unpatriotic and unsupportive of Trinidad and Tobago’s bid to become the headquarters of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Secretariat. Speaking during the debate on the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) Bill 2004, Valley said Oropouche MP Dr Roodal Moonilal was unaware that TT’s FTAA bid was started by the former regime. “There is a hurt in the heart and an anger in the head because an initiative which should really have the support of every Trinidadian, as in the case of Miami, where everybody is supporting the initiative. They sound like Americans as if they are campaigning for Miami.

That’s what it is!” Valley thundered. His statement enraged the UNC and Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday appeared ready to command his MPs to walk out of the Parliament Chamber. UNC MPs Ganga Singh, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Moonilal vociferously argued that Valley was imputing improper motives under Standing Order 55 (1). After referring to the Standing Orders, House Speaker Barry Sinanan told the Opposition: “No, I don’t think so.” Calm returned to the chamber shortly afterwards and the UNC decided against staging a walkout. Reiterating that TT was the front runner for the FTAA Secretariat with 17 votes while Miami only had five, Valley declared: “Don’t talk to me until they have 12! Don’t bother me otherwise! There are 34 countries in the FTAA. We are the frontrunner. We now command 50 percent of the support of the countries who can vote. Understand that!”

He told the Opposition that Government was not twiddling its thumbs in terms of trade and waiting for the FTAA to become a reality. “I will be in Brazil next week with the Mercosur countries. That is the next step,” Valley disclosed. He held preliminary discussions with Mercosur representatives in Port-of-Spain two weeks ago and described those talks as positive. Stating that TT was not afraid of competition in the race for the FTAA Secretariat, Valley told the Opposition: “You continue to work for Miami. I will continue to work for TT.” St Augustine MP Winston Dookeran described the ACS as “a medicine in search of a disease” and claimed that recent statements by Auditor-General Jocelyn Thompson showed there was corruption under the PNM.