PM: UNC using British MP to 'nasty' TT name abroad

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

THE PRIME Minister has claimed the UNC has been using a British MP to sully this country's reputation.

He was speaking on Thursday night at the PNM virtual post-budget meet-up.

He said Government had a policy to close the border to protect lives because of the covid19 pandemic.

"And we know that has caused some considerable hardship for those of our citizens who are outside.

"We went as far as to send cash to our embassies and missions abroad. Not a lot, but if there are people who are really destitute, they could have gone to the embassy and got a few thousand dollars to keep body and soul together."

He said Government began slowly but has accelerated its position and is going further and faster in bringing people home from the US, UK, Canada, Barbados and other countries.

He then addressed the matter of British government MP Steve Baker, who on Tuesday raised a matter in the House of Commons that TT nationals in the UK, and specifically in his constituency of Wycombe, were "burning through their savings" and were terrified of failing to get home.

Dr Rowley said: "The UNC once again undermining TT's position...through Moonilal and Kamla Persad-Bissessar, find some itinerant British MP, some fellow called Steve Baker. He ignore what we have done and what we are doing for our people. He gone inside the British parliament to go and raise issue about humanitarian conditions for TT on behalf of the UNC. In England, in the Parliament.

"So once again the UNC is prepared to nasty up TT's name and taking credit for it."

He said on Tuesday morning he met with new British High Commissioner to TT Harriet Cross at Whitehall.

"By Wednesday I am in the Parliament discovering that the UNC are in the British parliament, at the back bench, lying on TT and getting some person to portray our country in the worst possible light.

"All I will say to Mr Baker, if you are interested in TT and if you are interested in the people of TT, and if you have nothing to do for Wycombe and you want to help us, we are trying to get back a set of money that they thief from Trinidad that is in England. Try and get the British to help us get back the money that they thief from Trinidad."

He said there was a senior counsel from Britain (Vincent Nelson) who pleaded guilty in a Port of Spain court (in June) to stealing public money with the assistance of UNC officials.

"There is much more to that. So, Mr Baker, you will be receiving a correspondence from me personally asking you to help us bring back those who have stolen our money and have it in Britain and are in Britain (and) bring it back to justice in TT."

During his contribution he repeatedly slammed the UNC as "unpatriotic underminers" of this country.

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