UNC MPs defend former govt’s spending

MP for Oropouche East  Roodal Moonilal.
MP for Oropouche East Roodal Moonilal.

OPPOSITION MPs Dr Roodal Moonilal and David Lee yesterday defended the Opposition Leader against the Prime Minister’s assertion that she lied about $29 billion spent on various projects under the former People’s Partnership (PP) government.

Dr Rowley made his assertion at an instalment of Conversations with the Prime Minister in Tunapuna on Thursday night.

Declaring Rowley’s comments were unbecoming of a prime minister, Moonilal said the PM “brought his office into high disrepute.” He said Rowley was claiming the PP took $29 billion of taxpayers’ money and “threw it into a bonfire.”

Moonilal said the PP followed the law with respect to expenditure of money during its tenure and claimed that was why the People’s National Movement (PNM) could find “nothing that requires criminal investigation” and is only engaging in a series of civil litigation matters. Moonilal said Rowley was giving the impression that anyone could “drive a truck” into the Treasury and leave with $29 billion packed in briefcases.

Pointe a Pierre MP David Lee

Lee said Rowley continued “to play smart with foolishness.” He said Kamla Persad-Bissessar had already made the point that any money spent under the PP was “an investment in the country,” and reiterated there were tangible projects from the PP’s tenure which people could see and touch.

He said Rowley should account for $160 billion spent since the PNM assumed office in September 2015. He also wondered whether $4 billion received from the National Investment Fund would be used to finance some of the infrastructure projects Rowley referred to.

Lee said Rowley had been on the political hustings since Sunday and claimed if Rowley keeps up that momentum there could be “elections in a few months.” Lee said the UNC had been on an election footing for some time, had caucused on Monday and would continue its election preparations.

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