Case of misery seeking company

A CASE of misery seeking company.

That is how the chairman of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) Gregory Fernandez summed up statements made against its leader by opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal during the recent budget debate in Parliament.

"The MSJ and its leader David Abdulah do not care for the company of miserable dishonest people," Fernandez told reporters yesterday. He was speaking at a press conference at the party’s head office in San Fernando.

He labelled the Oropouche East MP as dishonest and unprincipled and accused him of trying to fabricate a story to "tarnish the good name’ of Abdulah. Fernandez referred to Abdulah as a man who walked away "from the corruption of the Peoples’ Partnership government" and who helped removed that coalition from power.

"Why would I say that Dr Moonilal is a miserable man? It all goes back to being part of the kleptocratic elites who are now out of power, the UNC. If you go to Wikipedia, it is laid for all to see and understand."

Fernandez said a kleptocracy was a government with corrupt leaders who used their power to exploit the people and natural resources of their own territory to extend their personal wealth and political powers.

The effects of a kleptocratic regime on a nation are typically adverse regarding the welfare of the state’s economy, political affairs and civil rights, he said.

During the debate, Moonilal made claims of conspiracy and corruption regarding the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Unions’ bid for the Petrotrin refinery. Moonilal claimed to have found a paper trail showing foul play in the acquisition of the refinery by OWTU’s holding company Patriotic Energies and Technologies Co Ltd. He said Sunstone Equity of Suriname was a major player in the scheme and produced photographs of a document signing, saying one of the people in the photos resembled Abdulah.

Yesterday Fernandez said, "He is trying to take revenge on David and the OWTU, as he is seeking a way back for the UNC after their last five years in office. Roody boy, the MSJ and the OWTU is not of that. Man go from here with that nah."

Fernandez also threw jabs at the Opposition Leader saying, "I remember a friend of mine once remarking that Kamla was spending money from the country’s treasury as though her grandmother had left it there for her."