NTA: Kamla is the failure, not Gary

THE National Transformation Alliance (NTA) has defended its political leader Gary Griffith against claims by UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar that Griffith was a failure as commissioner of police (CoP) from 2018-2021.

Persad-Bissessar made her allegations when she addressed a UNC cottage meeting in Chaguanas on August 26.

In a statement on August 28, the NTA countered that Persad-Bissessar is the failure, and not Griffith.

The party said Persad-Bissessar conveniently failed to mention that in in 2018, Griffith scored the highest number of points of all the applicants for the position of CoP.

"He scored 30 per cent more than (now incumbent CoP) Erla Harewood-Christopher."

The NTA claimed that at that time, Persad-Bissessar appeared to be more excited to vote for Harewood-Christopher and refused to vote for Griffith.

In supporting Griffith's position that he was no failure as CoP, and Persad-Bissessar herself publicly confirmed this several times, the NTA suggested given the current levels of crime, it appeared Persad-Bissessar was prepared to support someone who was not up to the task of CoP.

"One also needs to consider what measurement Kamla uses to ascertain if someone is a failure or not."

The party asked what caused Persad-Bissessar to change her view about Griffith from key ally to mortal enemy.

"Is it because Gary Griffith stood firm against her government during the LifeSport scandal? Is it because he refused to lie in the case involving the director of the Police Complaints Authority (David West)?"

Griffith was national security minister under Persad-Bissessar in 2014.

He alerted her at that time to criminal infiltration of the Lifesport programme during the tenure of the People's Partnership (PP) coalition government.

The programme was supposed to create opportunities for at-risk youths along the East-West Corridor through sport.

Persad-Bissessar shut down the programme and then sport minister (now Opposition Senator) Anil Roberts subsequently resigned.

In 2014, West alleged that then attorney general Anand Ramlogan to withdraw his witness statement in a defamation case against then opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley (now prime minister).

Griffith is a witness in this matter. which is still before the court.

He claimed at that time he was pressured to take a particular position on the issue.

The NTA said Persad-Bissessar's sudden discomfort with Griffith as CoP and forming an alliance with him for the next general election stems from his "commitment to integrity and transparency."

The party supported Griffith's position that while it remains open to forming strategic alliances with other political parties it will not" tolerate political leaders who openly attack us on a platform and then expect us to remain silent."

The NTA said this approach led to the downfall of the Congress of the People (COP) as a member of the People's Partnership (PP) coalition from 2010-2015.

"We will not allow those who support us to suffer the same political treatment."

The NTA, COP and HOPE (Honesty, Opportunity, Performance, Empowerment) are in talks about an election alliance.

In a separate statement, former PP government minister Dr Devant Maharaj said Persad-Bissessar's attack on Griffith demonstrated her growing desperation ahead of the general election.

"Rather than focusing on uniting the opposition and presenting a cohesive front against the ruling party (PNM), she has chosen to engage in petty squabbles that do nothing but weaken the UNC's position.

"This flip-flopping only serves to undermine her credibility and raise questions about her political judgement."