PM: No Cabinet member guilty of misogyny

THE PRIME Minister has said he was not aware that any of his Cabinet members was guilty of misogny.

Dr Rowley was responding to a question in the House on Wednesday on the status of the investigation into fired sport minister Darryl Smith.

Rowley had ordered an investigation following sexual harassment claims against Smith by his former assistant, which led to a payout of $150,000 and a non-disclosure agreement. The investigative committee produced a report, but Rowley said it was not usable.

Naparima MP Rodney Charles asked about the status of the investigation into the Smith affair, especially in light of one committee member, Folade Mutota, making an accusation of misogyny against the two government members.

Rowley laughed in response and said the Government, through both him and the Attorney General, had spoken publicly about the investigation and its status. He said the status report had been done and legal advice obtained by the Office of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Attorney General that by virtue of the nature and process of the report it could not be used in the public domain. He reported that the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, head of the public service, had received the report but that office was also restrained by the legal impediment.

On the misogyny accusation Rowley replied: "I know of nobody in the Cabinet who is guilty of misogny."

Charles then asked if the police service was not the appropriate body to do the investigation. Rowley replied that if Charles could indicate what law had been broken then the matter could be filed with the police.