Jamaat cries PNM, UNC conspiracy

IN a 30-minute press conference at the Jamaat al Muslimeen headquarters at Mucurapo Road yesterday, the organisation’s welfare officer Kala Akii Bua accused both the ruling People’s National Movement Government and the Opposition United National Congress of plotting against them, and using that as an opportunity to cover-up the recent allegations made by DEA consultant Vernon Paul against four Government officials. “The PNM has found itself in a position where it cannot rule, so they plotted with the UNC during the recent so-called peace talks to have our leader Abu Bakr arrested. Now they have brought this judgment against us as a means to cover-up the allegations of Vernon Paul.

“This country has always had a structure, but over the last 40 years, all the governments had been incapable of running this country. Something has gone wrong. “No matter what government is in power, any problem they have they throw it on us. Not one member of the Jamaat has ever been charged for kidnapping. Yet we are blamed for everything. “The Government is now seeking to divert the public from the Vernon Paul issue by claiming they are seeking to recover $30 million due to the State by the Jamaat for destruction to the police headquarters and the Red House during the 1990 coup,” Akii Bua stated. These statements were made to the media yesterday at the Jamaat headquarters after the State sought permission in a Port-of-Spain High Court on Monday  to sell 11 of the properties owned by 58 of the 114 insurrectionists in the 1990 coup for damages done to State property.