Kamla: Rowley pitting Trinis against Trinis stranded abroad

UNITED National Congress (UNC) political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has accused the Prime Minister of pitting nationals in TT against those stranded abroad.

She was speaking Thursday night at the UNC virtual campaign about nationals stranded abroad due to closure of the borders on March 22 as part of covid19 preventative measures.

She said that around the world, countries were finding ways to bring their citizens home but Dr Rowley has found every reason not to bring Trinis back.

“He put nationals here against those abroad. ‘We protecting you so the rest stay out.’”

She said he was creating fear in nationals here and while he said that he was saving those here from death, there were people “dying” abroad.
“Have a heart Rowley. Bring our citizens home!”

She recalled Rowley saying he was paying the price for protecting the population.

“The price you will pay is we will vote you out!”

She said Rowley was playing the victim and seeking to stir up sympathy regarding his covid19 response. She added that Government has no plan to bring citizens home.

“Shame on you Mr Prime Minister. Shame on you!"

She said while Rowley congratulated himself for the covid19 situation it was actually because of the people of TT who followed the guidelines. She again hit Government for hosting the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 cricket tournament while citizens were outside the country like vagrants. She quipped that CPL stands for “Citizens Preferred Last.”

She questioned who were the 4,000 people already brought in and what was the criteria. On the “good job” with covid19, she asked if the people who lost their jobs or those who could not get the salary relief grant or a food card believe that Rowley did a good job?
She also said Government wants people to only think of the covid19 response and not the past five years of economic collapse, suffering and the loss of 100,000 jobs.

She said citizens should forget the “small parties” as this election was a choice between Rowley or Kamla.
Persad-Bissessar said Rowley is about “blame, bully and berate” and cautioned citizens they could become his next victim ah la Chamber of Commerce CEO Gabriel Faria, economists or religious leaders. She added that he has also attacked schoolchildren by calling them hyenas, women, the media and even leaders in his own party.

She said sound leaders govern with compassion and heart while weak leaders govern with fear.
“If you see Keith Rowley standing there and Kamla there which one would you say hello too? Which one would you be afraid of?”
She called Rowley an arrogant strong-man and dictator.
She criticised Rowley for saying the PNM slate was not a kindergarten as he spoke last week at the opening of the Bagatelle Community Centre. She said this was disrespectful to the young members of her team.
“I prefer this team to those geriatrics that you have brought back who did nothing (for the past five years).”
She said this Government has no idea how to generate income and improve lives but only knows how to tax, borrow and spend. She promised a UNC government would remove the seven per cent online tax, lower corporation taxes, set up app development investment and an East West Biotech Manufacturing Corridor.