PM addresses national security at Parliament

THE Prime Minister batted against the Opposition's onslaught of questions on national security and touched on procurement and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

Dr Rowley replied to 11 questions, while the order paper listed 22 questions for oral answer by various ministers, plus one urgent question.

In all this, he defended the performance of Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds against opposition barbs.

The PM said the recent Caricom crime symposium on violence and public health had cost only $1.5 million, not the $15 million figure recently suggested by Naparima MP Rodney Charles. Rowley said Charles ought to publicly apologise for allegedly spreading misinformation to the general public.

Charles retorted that the cost of the symposium could have fixed every pothole in Naparima, Princes Town and Moruga/Tableland constituencies.

Rowley hit back, "And so would your salary!"

Charles retorted that Rowley's salary was index-linked for inflation, saying, "Would you index my salary of $17,000 like your salary in indexed?"

In a new question, Charles asked if Rowley would consider a call by former police commissioner Gary Griffith to meet him and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Rowley replied that as head of the National Security Council he had very good reasons not to meet with Griffith under any circumstances. Regarding the Opposition, the PM said he regularly meets them in Parliament. He alleged the Opposition had obstructed everything the Government had sought to do against crime.

The PM said if the Opposition changes its position, the Government stood ready to meet them for crime talks, inside or outside Parliament.

Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh asked if - following the deaths of Kemba Morris and her daughter Zaya in a house fire in Siparia mainly due to a non-functional appliance at Siparia Fire Station - any audit was ordered of all fire stations and their state of readiness.

Rowley replied, "I will not join the Member for Couva South in seeking to try to politicise this tragedy, except to say that I'm in no position to say that the death of these people was caused by a non-functional fire unit. That is an irresponsible statement.

"The Government will not join Couva South in saying that, because the deaths of those two unfortunate people was not so simply described."

Rowley then said last year March the Government had approved $30.1 million under the development programme to acquire a fleet of vehicles for the fire service.

"The vehicles included three water tenders, one emergency tender, one ambulance, and one chemical industrial tender, among other vehicles.

"The vehicles were to be assigned to the fire station at Mayaro, Penal and Point Fortin."

This was part of the Government's ongoing work, to strengthen where it had to, and to go from strength to strength, the PM said.

Charles shot up, in a supplemental, to ask why the PM defended Hinds whom he accused of incompetence, especially after the Siparia fire, but Speaker Brigid Annisette-George disallowed his question.

Indarsingh asked the PM if he knew the Savonetta Fire Station has no hazardous material truck despite its closeness to Point Lisas Estate but the Speaker disallowed the question.

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal asked if the PM was concerned about the state of readiness of fire stations, saying many calls had to be made to get help to a fire at Penal on Tuesday. Rowley replied, "Precisely because as Prime Minister I am concerned, is why the Cabinet was moved to allocate that $30 million in 2022 so that we can improve our readiness and be better able to respond across TT as the circumstances warrant."

Indarsingh said fire officers have less than ten per cent of required breathing apparatus but Rowley questioned the veracity of Indarsingh's words.

Chaguanas West MP, in a new question, asked about any timeline to repatriate TT nationals from Syria.

"It is a very strange question because we have tried to indicate how sensitive and how difficult this matter is and therefore it would be ridiculous to be putting a timeline on it. We do not even know exactly what we are dealing with."

Rambally said the risk of radicalisation of TT youngsters in conflict zones grew as they got older.

Rowley said, "The bottom line is this matter is not as simplistic as the member is trying to make it. It is because the Government is concerned, why we have taken the initiatives we have taken." He said the issue was largely out of the Government's reach and resources but they were making every effort, but warned against portraying the issue simplistically.

Charles in a separate question asked why the PM rejected the Opposition's call to split the Ministry of National Security into Ministries of Home Affairs and Defence.

Rowley alleged Charles' idea was US-based, but said while that country had 340 million citizens and external enemies, but not so TT.

He dubbed Charles' idea "copycat gobbledygook nonsense."

Charles asked if the PM was satisfied with Hinds' performance.

Rowley said, "I'm satisfied with the Cabinet. I'm satisfied with the ministers and in the event that I am not, you will see the appropriate action taken.

"The member has a good reason why he does not want a particular person to be national security minister. But I can tell you there is a louder call in the Opposition for him to go from there."

Indarsingh in a new question asked if all 314 public bodies had procurement officers. Rowley said a permanent secretary or other top official can be named as procurement officer.

Charles, in a separate question, asked the basis of Rowley's call for fresh THA elections, to which Rowley cited sections 75 and 76 of the Constitution, which mandate the appointment of a Cabinet and a Prime Minister. Charles accused Rowley of postponing elections in Trinidad and in Tobago, but the Speaker disallowed the question.