Al-Rawi: Persad-Bissessar has a passion for me

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Faris Al-Rawi is not fazed by the Opposition Leader’s call for him to be fired for appearing without a face mask at a recent private show.

Instead he calmly clapped back at Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Wednesday night when reporters asked him to comment on her remarks.

“Mrs Persad-Bissessar has had a passion for me for 11 years now. It is not the first time you would hear Kamla Persad-Bissessar talk about me.

"Secondly, the opposition has to say something,” he said.

He spoke at a distribution ceremony of lease letters for agricultural land at the Society Hall Lodge in Marabella.

Last Thursday, Al-Rawi appeared without a face mask on a live-streamed show. Al-Rawi, who is also the MP for San Fernando West, later apologised, saying he should have acted better. But he emphasised that he did not break the law, adding that fewer than ten people were present in the room.

“Mrs Persad-Bissessar knows she is only creating drama. At the end of the day, I have already said to the population that on reflection, I should have worn a mask, even though it was in a private setting,” Al-Rawi said.

“I expect Mrs Persad-Bissessar to say nothing pleasant about me. It has been that way for 11 years.”

Al-Rawi also threw jabs at opposition senator Wade Mark, who also called for the Prime Minister to fire him. Mark, like other critics, accused him of failing to adhere to the covid19 public health regulations.

“He is not someone I take seriously in any form or fashion. I can hardly make sense of what he says most of the time, so I think that story is properly going to reside in UNC camp. It is what it is,” Al-Rawi said.

Dr Rowley referred to the incident as “disappointing,” saying he expects everyone in a leadership position to demonstrate that leadership wherever they are and whenever they are out.

On Wednesday, at the distribution ceremony, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat poked fun at his colleague.

He referred to Al-Rawi as the "popular Attorney General" and the man who has "caused us to be wearing these masks more than ever now."

Rambharat said it could happen to anyone.

“Sometimes you need someone like the Prime Minister to pull you back,” Rambharat said. “A lot of us had to re-look our holiday plans, our Easter plans and so on. Everybody is batting in their crease, like the West Indies team did yesterday.”