Charles knocks PM undiplomatic comments

Naparima MP Rodney Charles says the Prime Minister’s criticism of him was an example of how a PM of TT should not behave.

In a statement on Saturday, shortly after Dr Rowley explained his outburst in Parliament last week, Charles said the PM was undiplomatic.

Charles said the PM continued to mislead the country and slander his name by repeating false information that he was the only UN ambassador present at the meeting with Marine Le Pen, leader of a right-wing French political party.

“Stung by local and regional outrage against his intemperate and undiplomatic remarks this week in Parliament, Dr Rowley once again attempts to mask his ... appalling lack of diplomatic skills and inability to hold his own on the global stage by once again diverting attention to a non-issue involving Marine Le Pen.

“Yet he has issues with 18 UN ambassadors, including myself, meeting years ago with Le Pen. Among those present at the meeting was Camilio Gonsalves, then ambassador of St Vincent and the Grenadines to the UN and now Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Information technology of that country.”

Charles said Le Pen was an elected member of the European Parliament and head of a right-wing party in France who wanted to share her perspective on several issues.

He claimed that Rowley was unaware that diplomacy involved conversation with everyone, not just allies.

“Dr Rowley clearly holds the view that diplomacy involves speaking only to friends, family, financiers and sanctioned individuals like Venezuela’s Delcy Rodriguez while treating others like Le Pen with whom he disagrees with balisier disdain.

“What is particularly egregious is the fact that his meeting with Delcy may have placed our entire economy at risk of being sanctioned?”

“Clearly Dr Rowley does not understand that global diplomacy requires interaction with and listening to the views of individuals with whom you may even disagree."

Charles said Rowley needed to remember that he was the PM of TT, and not a bartender in a rum shop and cautioned him to be more circumspect and temperate with his utterances in and out of Parliament.