UNC: TT needs plans not distractions

THE United National Congress (UNC) is saying the country is desperately crying out for leadership, hope and concrete plans but what it is getting instead is a plethora of allegations and distraction.

It is clear, the party said in a press release issued on Monday afternoon, that not only does the Prime Minister lack vision as well as plans to take the nation forward, but he is attempting to distract from the fact that his government has no track record of national development in the last five years.

"Dr Rowley hopes the population would disregard the incompetence of his administration and the complete lack of any new ideas, but the people will not accept that this time around. The people want to see plans, ideas and policies for their future, not distractions.

"It is quite disheartening that while the standard of living of citizens has worsened in the last five years and our nation has been brought to the point of crisis by Rowley’s mismanagement, he is seeking again to mount a campaign built on allegations aimed at gaining political points," the party said.

Instead of offering solutions, it pointed out, to deal with the numerous socio-economic issues facing citizens that have emerged due to his poor leadership, Rowley is using the same tactic he employed in the 2015 general election campaign with his emailgate accusations, which were later shown to be false.

The UNC said he must be reminded that investigations currently underway remain a police matter and must be dealt with by the police. It is rather unethical, if not in total contravention of the separation of powers which bolsters democracy, that the head of the political arm of the State would be seeking to utilise information from an independent arm of the State for political benefit.

How can the Prime Minister be privy to such information, especially on the eve of an election? Clearly the disclosure of such information is not being done in the public's interest but being done in the interest of the PNM, the UNC said. "We understand that the Prime Minister is losing support and is feeling the pressure of such, resulting in his bullying attitude towards his opponents, but a police investigation cannot be used as a Baliser House political tool."

The party said that recent allegations represent the fact that the Prime Minister has done nothing for the nation's development in the last five years and is seeking to run a campaign similar to the one he ran in 2015, hoping to retain power on allegations, untruths and distractions.