Kamla reiterates 'PNM associating with gangs' claims

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar reiterated her claim that the PNM is forming unholy alliances with criminals to bring crime down.

She did so during debate on a private motion in the House of Representatives on Friday.

Persad-Bissessar first made the claim during a UNC virtual forum on November 21.

At that time, Persad-Bissessar said she had received several messages on WhatsApp about the meetings with gangsters.

“In those messages, I am being told operatives of the People’s National Movement (PNM) have called in gang leaders, and they are offering contracts to these gang leaders to have a ceasefire because they want to end the crime.

On Friday, she reiterated her call to Government to confirm or deny this claim

"I am asking a question."

Persad-Bissessar said these claims were similar to ones made against former prime minister Patrick Manning meeting with criminal gang leaders when he was in office

She dismissed earlier comments by National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds that Government was providing policies to deal with crime.

"No plans. No policies. Nothing."

Persad-Bissessar reiterated the UNC's claims that crime increases every time the PNM is in government."

Later in the sitting, Youth Development and National Service Minister Foster Cummings rejected Persad-Bissessar's claims that Government had no policies to deal with crime.

Cummings identified the reopening of youth camps which were closed under the former UNC-led People's Partnership coalition government between May 2010 and September 2015, as an example.

"These are facts."