Penny slams PM: Reckless attack on president, independent senators

OPPOSITION LEADER Pennelope Beckles has slammed Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's questioning of the integrity of the nine independent senators appointed by President Christine Kangaloo, who Persad-Bissessar described as being a "low-level PNM functionary."

At a press conference on Wednesday, at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Charles Street, Port of Spain, Beckles referenced newspaper articles which reported on comments of the prime minister who doubted the independence of the nine senators because they were appointed by Kangaloo.

Prior to being appointed President, Kangaloo at various times, served as an opposition senator, minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, minister of legal affairs and minister of science, technology and tertiary education in previous PNM governments.

Referencing a newspaper article headlined: Bootlickers and brown-nosers..., Beckles said, "Now the fact is we know that with technology, many all over the world can read this article, and you ask yourself, who could a prime minister was possibly referring to?

"The President of our country and the independent senators? Absolutely amazing and reckless! The PM went on to say that when a question was asked, she (the PM) argued that the independent senators were not truly independent as they were appointed by a President who was a 'low-level PNM functionary'."

Beckles asked the population to study this issue closely, and ask, why does a prime minister who is a senior counsel, is going down this road as to attack the President and the independent bench in the senate.

She said it was not an isolated incident, saying the prime minister and her government have shown a penchant for governance by bullying.

"The prime minister continues to threaten and bully whenever she is confronted by difficult issues."

Beckles said the public must ask, why were such statements made by the PM?

She claimed the PM used this tactic as a means of threatening and bullying the independent senators to vote a certain way in the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSA) bill, which was debated in the Senate on January 21. "It was meant to literally threaten and coerce independent senators!"

The bill requires a three-fifths majority and would need the support of at least four senators from among the Opposition and Independent benches in the senate.

She said this was the government's latest bullying tactic and followed the Christmas Day announcement of the doubling of most road traffic fines for errant drivers.

"I ask the prime minister, stop your bullying! Please do not act as though the people of TT are attending kindergarten school, because we will have none of it!"

Also speaking on other national issues at the press conference were Malabar Mausica MP Dominic Romain, Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi and St Ann's East MP Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly.