Griffith: Kangaloo as nominee for President 'a slap in the face'

National Transformation Alliance (NTA) political leader Gary Griffith said the nomination of Christine Kangaloo for President of TT is a slap in the face of right-thinking citizens. He said the move shows that the Prime Minister is not interested in attempting to hide the dictatorial intentions of the hierarchy of his party.

In a release following the announcement of the nomination on Friday, Griffith said the NTA has no personal brief against Kangaloo, and feels she is qualified to serve.

“The issue we want the nation to focus on however, is just how close to Dr Keith Rowley and this present PNM administration Kangaloo is. A long-standing member of the PNM, Kangaloo has been PNM for over two decades, serving in four PNM administrations, and as an Opposition senator on two more occasions.

“But perhaps even more egregious, is that Kangaloo’s nomination comes on the heels of Paula Mae Weekes’ tenure, who many felt was politically seduced by Rowley, for her role in not passing on the merit list for the appointment of commissioner of police to Parliament, when she was constitutionally bound to. And interestingly, Kangaloo’s first order of business as President would be to receive the merit list for the appointment of commissioner of police.”

Griffith had reapplied to be police commissioner when his term ended and claimed he was ranked as the top candidate for the position.

He said Kangaloo's nomination shows the PM’s desperation to remain in power by any means necessary.

“The only silver lining in him being so brazen with his march for dictatorship, is that he exposes that he himself does not believe he will win the next scheduled election, so his intent is to place key PNM persons in pivotal positions to maintain some semblance of power.”

Griffith said the nomination perhaps makes the best argument as to why constitutional reform is necessary, and why it must include the appointment of the President, to ensure the office is not politically manipulated.