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Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Kamla Persad-Bissessar

The Opposition Leader has condemned what she called the "latest round of wild and scandalous accusations" regarding the US $2 million assassination plot on the Prime Minister.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar dismissed the allegations as baseless and accused Dr Rowley of making the statement to fearmonger and score cheap political points.

She said, "A cornered animal is dangerous. And, the PNM is now resorting to baseless attacks that its back is against the wall. They make wild accusations with no evidence and hope that something sticks. From the producers of E-mailgate comes a last-ditch desperate attempt once again with a sequel."

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday at M Rampersad Banquet Hall in San Fernando, Persad-Bissessar also referred to the Prime Minister’s claim as "Rowley’s mission impossible." Rowley on Friday revealed to supporters at a meeting in Belmont that as an opposition leader, two hitmen were offered US $2 million to assassinate him and two senior PNM campaign managers. He first made the claims back in 2015.

Yesterday Persad-Bissessar recalled that in Parliament one day when she was the prime minister Rowley said that an ACP told him of a death threat against him.

"I did ask the police to inform him because as chairman of the National Security Council, it came to my attention. But he made a mess of it. He made a joke of it. It was like a scandal to him the fact that I sent an ASP to inform him of what was on the ground."

Persad-Bissessar questioned the timing of the claim saying as far as she was aware no one had been arrested.

"You mean for four years you did not investigate. Was any investigation done? That is why this is another nancy story, it is another Balisier House plot just like E-mailgate. Why now? The answer is obvious."

She said it was simply a desperate attempt on Rowley's part to gain public sympathy and demonise and criminalise the UNC. This, she said, is in the face of Rowley's completely non-existent political creditability after having absolutely nothing to show in PNM’s four years in office.

She challenged the Prime Minister to reveal the names of the people involved in the alleged plot saying the hands of herself and party members were clean and their hearts pure.

"Call names. This vague kind of nonsense you are hiding behind a veil. Give the names to the police and let the police investigate. If there is any wrongdoing, let the police take action. Blame everybody for your failure. I am not taking that blame; we are not taking that blame."

Saying Balisier House has fallen, Persad-Bissessar said UNC had screened and trained all of its candidates. She expressed confidence of a victory in the upcoming local government elections. She charged that Rowley was fully aware the PNM would be defeated.

As the UNC political leader said on Friday at a Divali celebration at her constituency in Penal, she yesterday scoffed at an ultimatum given to her by Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) leader Ancel Roget to respond to any statements made in the budget debate.

"Roget, I have no fight with you. You are not my father. I will account to my father in heaven and my father who is somewhere there. I will continue to raise issues that touch the common good in the public interest. Mr Roget, go in peace. I have no anger against you but do not issue me an ultimatum."

Roget’s had called on her to declare whether she supported allegations by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal about foul play in the acquisition of the former Petrotrin refinery by the OWTU’s Patriotic Energies and Technologies Co Ltd.

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