Suzette Louwe takes on PM

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. FILE PHOTO
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. FILE PHOTO

ACTIVIST Suzette Louwe is hitting back at the Prime Minister, accusing him of trying to discredit her in public and accusing her of having a political agenda, when she is not a member of any political party.

“I am not afraid of you," Louwe said after she was accused of spreading “fake news.” On October 17 she posted a copy of her WASA bill on her Facebook page, saying she had been told rates will increase by 35 per cent and will be retroactive for one year.

She called on Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte to tell people why this was not announced in the budget.

Within hours there were denials from the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC), which sets rates, and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).

Dr Rowley also took her on in a frontal attack from a political platform at the Arima Town Hall on Sunday as he waded into the United National Congress (UNC), accusing the Opposition of hiring “trolls” to make false and misleading statements on social media to make the population believe something was wrong with his government.

Without identifying her by name, Rowley pointed to Louwe’s FB post, saying it was produced by “UNC imps,” and this purported rate increase was a lie, as there had been no discussion of rate increases with the RIC.

Louwe again used her FB page to send an open letter to Rowley, who, she said, went on radio to try to discredit her by accusing her of fraud.

“Which you and I both know you cannot prove," she wrote. "I am not afraid of you. I pioneered the first coalition in high school to help others fight against bullies and you are certainly not the first. You are definitely the oldest but not the first.”

She said it was a shameful day for this country when a sitting prime minister takes the time to go on radio to attack a citizen for seeking answers.

“UN Human Rights this is how citizens are treated for speaking out against corruption in this country,” she wrote.

Louwe speculated that the real issue is not her WASA bill, but “ the fact that I have taken your government to task over the OWTU and their investors by filing an FOIA for information on the sale of the refinery which you know will be put out in the public domain.”

She insisted, “I am not a member of the UNC and I do not act on their behalf. That too, you cannot prove.

“I am not a candidate for any party, and I am not running for office. I am an ordinary citizen acting on behalf of my country for the sake of my children and you come out to attack me for that?” she questioned.

“You will not back me into a corner, cause me to snap and have a meltdown in public. Better than you have tried. So, come again.

“Understand this, you can try to discredit me all you like, I will keep demanding transparency. It is damn time that we stand up to you and your oppressive government.”

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"Suzette Louwe takes on PM"

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