PM attacks TT Chamber head

The Prime Minister lashed out at the head of the country's biggest business lobby group on Wednesday afternoon in a vehement Facebook post.

On his official Facebook page, Dr Rowley said Gabriel Faria, the CEO of the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce, "can have no private view which he expresses as the 'known' head of the Chamber."

"He knows exactly what he is doing and it is him trying to influence voters with his dismissive shallowness whilst being very disrespectful to the country’s leadership. If he is so disdainful of all the people who offer themselves for office through all political parties and who the population selects freely and fairly, to run their affairs, then why doesn’t he give a few years of his brilliance and perfection in service of the public interest.

"He, like many others, will never do that either because he is only about himself and what he can suck from the country or rather he knows that if he does what others do and offers himself for selection he will be dismissed with a swift kick in the pants by a population who sees him for what he is, a disrespectful mouth with precious little value rattling around in the Chamber with his acid tongue."

Asked to respond, Faria said he had no comment. "We (the chamber) continue to advocate on behalf of business."

Faria has been outspoken on tax refunds for businesses affected by the pandemic and the lack of government support for the private sector.