PM the last to talk about responsibility

THE EDITOR: Time to be responsible, was the message, as told to the media, by Prime Minister Dr Rowley. This PM no doubt is continuing his flight of political fantasy, but it is now too late for him to even attempt to be responsible after 54 months in office.

His administration has been the most incompetent, inept and clueless in our history. His mismanagement has been reckless and irresponsible which now has TT facing insurmountable crises, covering multiple areas: a crisis in governance, in credibility, in national security, in escalating crime, in growing debt, in increasing hopelessness and in management of the economy.

During the past 54 months, Rowley and his administration lost their moral compass and do not have what it takes to provide good, responsible and visionary governance.

Under Mr Rowley's watch, TT which historically was an exporter of oil and gas, is now importing oil and fuel. As Prime Minister, Rowley has been totally irresponsible in his partisan decision not to open the Couva Children’s Hospital, many schools and ECCE buildings constructed by the Peoples Partnership.

As Prime Minister, Rowley has been totally irresponsible for simply cancelling a TT$487m contract to a CGGC, Chinese construction company, a decision which can cost the taxpayer upwards of TT$305m in cancellation penalties.

As Prime Minister, Rowley has been totally irresponsible in mishandling sexual misconduct allegations against one of his MPs and the use of State funds to settle a legal action.

Even in the face of the global meltdown due to covid19 on world stock mar­kets and the slump in the price of oil, Rowley’s Minister of Finance Colm Imbert is yet to offer viable solutions to ensure the economy remains stable.

Imbert’s plan to address a $3.5 billion in revenue loss was anything but responsible; keep borrowing, continue draw-downs on the Heritage and Stabilization funds, sell off State assets and tax citizens into poverty via a Revenue Authority.

To make matters worse, Imbert is defending government’s decision to keep, rather than cut, expenditure at $54 billion. This administration will continue to fund vanity projects with scant regard for the country’s finances.

Rowley and Imbert have both been anything but responsible with our country's finances. This administration has spent in excess of $300 billion since coming into office; in the past two years they have borrowed in excess of $21.7 billion yet the country has absolutely nothing to show for this worrisome debt.

Perhaps the Prime Minister and his Finance Minister should accelerate the OWTU’s purchase of Petrotrin and ensure the union deposits the US$700 million into the treasury which will ease the pain from the covid19 meltdown.

So, when Dr Rowley decides to shamelessly speak about being responsible, he must not be allowed to forget that every facet of life in TT has, under his watch, deteriorated significantly and life has become most unbearable.

CAPIL BISSOON

Via e-mail