Kamla: Cheques with my name are fake

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is calling on police to investigate the emergence of cheques with her name, which she said were fake, and which were created to give try and tarnish her name and the image of the UNC.

Distancing herself from what she termed the “cheque-gate scandal," Persad-Bissessar said at the UNC's Monday Night meeting in Couva that these bogus cheques are being pushed by the PNM as part of its campaign for the local government elections.

She also called on Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood Christopher to launch an investigation into allegations of a $.5 million bribe paid to a former UNC member to join a rival party.

She urged police to act with the same haste that it did in investigating an audio tape which has stirred controversy in Tobago.

She also chastised police for their inability to investigate and report on the Brent Thomas fiasco.

“Abducted in Barbados, put on a Caricom plane – shame! Illegally brought back to Trinidad, they (the police) can’t get investigations into that started yet.

“So this TTPS runs to investigate an audio tape but cannot up to now tell us something about Brent Thomas. Let us see if they would be equally speedy to investigate all these bribery allegations,” Persad-Bissessar said.

Referring to a recent newspaper headline: “$.5m for UNC defector,” she asked what promises were made or positions offered to people in exchange for them leaving the UNC.

She reminded supporters that things did not end well for the biblical Judas, as she sent a message to those who have defected from the UNC and found themselves in the PNM.

She said it was clear that the “Judases” who left the UNC did not simply do so on their own.

“I can tell you one thing tonight, they are not shaking their bag of silver in celebration and merriment. The clinking sounds you are hearing, of the 550,000 pieces of silver in the bag, is because their hands are trembling in fear because they will be exposed!”

She thanked the PNM for doing the UNC a favour, “by embracing these Judases. One by one, they have stepped out of the political shadows and the party has purged itself of disloyalty. Out of evil, always cometh good! And the good will always prevail.”

Persad-Bissessar later congratulated all students who received their SEA results on Monday and promised when the UNC returns to office, every one of them will be given a laptop.

She also congratulated the United States on its 247th anniversary and Caricom on its 50th anniversary.

“Caricom was born right here in TT, in Chaguaramas. So we are proud. We have worked with Caricom and I want to make the commitment to work with Caricom for the betterment of our country and the region.”