Rowley: Nothing against Muslims

PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley said his Government has nothing against Muslims most of whom live peacefully in TT with full constitutional rights, but some citizens have attached themselves to foreign doctrines of hate. “Nobody is above the law,” he warned, speaking at a People’s National Movement meeting at La Horquetta on Thursday.

“There is no policy and has never been a policy to prosecute anybody based on their religion,” he said, evoking loud claps. “Our anthem says every creed and race finds an equal place.” Rowley said some citizens are bad people and will do bad things and so must be monitored by the Strategic Services Agency (SSA), Police Service and Defence Force.

When information comes of people wanting to do harm, the Government has a duty to act, regardless of who the person is. Rowley said if the security services have evidence against someone he will be prosecuted regardless of his personal religion, noting that everyone has the protection of the TT Constitution and the law courts. He emphasised that the Government does not instruct the police.

He related that TT may be the only country in the world where the population once awoke to news that a small minority had taken over the then government and bombed the police headquarters, a likely reference to the 1990 attempted coup by the Jamaat al Muslimeen. Rowley alleged that the Opposition sees a high crime-rate as favouring their return to government in order to steal.

Warning that gangs are recruiting people’s children, he said, “And if you as a parent dare say ‘boo’ the gangs are taking you too.” He said the bill is now needed again because after five years of its first incarnation under the former government, gangs still exist.