Kamla: 'Growley' does not want you to vote

UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar renamed the Prime Minister "Mr Growley" and charged that he does not want people to vote in Monday's general election. Persad-Bissessar made her claims at a rally on Saturday in La Horquetta/Talparo, in support of the party's candidate for the seat, deputy party leader Jearlean John.

Reiterating her belief the PNM will lose the election, Persad-Bissessar claimed Dr Rowley's only strategy was "to frighten you to keep you from voting."

Defending John's overseeing the distribution of appliances to constituents, Persad-Bissessar maintained John was doing this to help victims of flooding in La Horquetta/Talparo.

Speaking with reporters on Friday before a UNC motorcade in Tarouba, Persad-Bissessar previously defended John, saying,"It was not a bribe to buy votes."

She said "Mr Growley" was offended that only John did anything to help people affected by recent flooding in La Horquetta/Talparo.

PNM candidate Foster Cummings was also in the field during the same floods, overseeing relief efforts to affected people.

Referring to John as "JJ," Persad-Bissessar was unfazed that John last week lost the wrongful-dismissal lawsuit she brought against her former employer, the Housing Development Corporation (HDC). While declining to comment on the specifics, Persad-Bissessar felt confident that John "will win the case."

Claiming that many people had attacked her and John unjustly, Persad-Bissessar declared, "Rowley, eat your heart out. The women will prevail."

She alleged La Horquetta/Talparo had been unrepresented for the last five years. The previous MP was the PNM's Maxie Cuffie, who suffered a stroke in 2017 and required lengthy treatment, but remained MP for the area.

After Monday, Persad-Bissessar declared, the constituency will be "safe in the hands of JJ and the UNC."

She repeated campaign promises such as the creation of 50,000 new jobs and lowering taxes.

During the rally, a video of newspaper columnist Prof Selwyn Cudjoe endorsing Persad-Bissessar as "a ray of sunlight" was played.