Rowley pours scorn on UNC rally speakers

Speaking in the House of Representatives, Rowley also poured scorn on the speakers at tomorrow’s UNC rally. "The lead speaker (Basdeo Panday) is before the courthouse. The second speaker — the deputy (Jack Warner) — is before a (FIFA) international ethics committee. And the third one (Vice Chairman Vasant Bharat) looking for rice that ain’t reach. And as far as they are concerned, nothing is wrong with that. Dismiss all that because the objective is to move the PNM," he said. "And sleep with the devil," Valley chimed in. Rowley was speaking on the motion to accept the Report of the Joint Select Committee.

Earlier, Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma had made the mistake of inviting PNM MPs to the "Abuse of Power" UNC rally. Rowley countered, however, that the rally was about fighting court cases and not about any alleged abuse of power.

Referring to the Dr Chandra Naraynsingh case, Rowley said while the matter was still on appeal by the State, Members of Parliament were inviting the public to a rally, "where the defence attorney (Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj) would tell you that what the killer say is a lie." Don’t invite us to join you in that heinous behaviour," he said.

Rowley said he was borrowing a quote from the "Chief Whip, wimp, stick, bullpistle, I don’t know" who said that if people didn’t have principles, and didn’t subscribe to values, they are forever adrift.

He recalled that when the Naraynsingh case was dismissed "under strange circumstances, the same defence lawyer advised the DPP not to appeal." He said the UNC was way-laying the DPP so that he would be afraid to do his job.

Rowley called on the Attorney General to collect every cent owed to the State by Chandresh Sharma and others, like ASP Graham, who got to the court with "spurious and malicious cases" and incur costs for the public purse.

"As a taxpayer my money is not to pay lawyers to go to court to argue foolishness. My money is to buy medicine for the hospital, and chalk for the school. As they go to court and they fail, the AG must collect the costs, Rowley declared. He said people would shudder to know how much costs have been incurred by the State to defend "spurious and malicious political cases."

He noted that Sharma, like many UNC members, was quoting from Graham’s statement which had been discounted and discredited in the court. Turning to the issue of the Police Service, Rowley said the Government owned ten dilapidated houses in Diego Martin occupied by junior police officers.

He said the Cabinet took a decision to condemn the buildings and to replace them by modern structures. He said the ten police officers were "blackmailing the State, defying the Cabinet" saying they are not moving, until Government paid them substantial sums.

"This is what is going on here today, and it could only go on because the Police Commissioner can’t transfer Graham because Members of Parliament would come to the Parliament with Graham’s failed testimony. And the constables looking on could decide to make demands on the State and deny people houses. That is what is going on in this country," he said.

Rowley also took issue with Sharma’s statements that Government was not treating Tobago right. Rowley said it was the UNC prime minister and Government which dismissed two Tobago senators and starved the THA for funds, leading to bounced cheques and the nonpayment of Tobago public servants.

"When you stand up in the Parliament to lecture me, you must remember you have your own record, and it is a sorry sight," he said.