By Andre Bagoo Sunday, September 5 2010

PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar last night admitted that her Government has had shortcomings — including how it communicates and interacts with the public. She also said that if members of Cabinet have serious disagreements in policy issues, then they could resign.

“In terms of shortcomings there have been issues of communications and messaging,” the Prime Minister told reporters at the Coco Reef Resort and Spa at Store Bay, Tobago where the Government last night completed a third packed day of workshops.

“Media relations are important — we have not been doing very well with that. We discussed that at length in terms of not sending mixed signals. Not because we may not have different views,” she said.

She added, “at the end of the day we need to speak from the same page and if it is that we have differences of opinion, you really have two options. One is that the difference is not so great that you cannot stay in Cabinet and therefore you adopt the concept of collective responsibility. Two, if it is so fundamentally flawed that you can or cannot work well the option is that you leave and you resign.”

In relation to social activist and former UNC senator Verna St Rose Greaves, who has been vocal in her opposition to the death penalty, Persad-Bissessar said St Rose Greaves was still welcome in the Government even in the face of a threat St Rose Greaves has issued to walk on the issue of the death penalty.

“I am not aware that Verna St Rose is in the Government. I had asked the Minister of Education to speak with her to get her to assist in some way with children,” she said, saying the offer was still on the table. “Certainly, Verna is a great lady,” the Prime Minister said.

Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal had earlier described the workshop – which yesterday saw sessions on the role of the judiciary by Martin Daly, SC and on governance by Reginald Dumas — as very productive. Persad-Bissessar said any issue of Constitutional reform in relation to Tobago would happen only after consultation with the people of Tobago.