PM invites UNC: Come, let us build a nation together

A sea of red washed ashore on the “sand city” of Siparia on Tuesday night as the People’s National Movement (PNM) staked its intention to reclaim control of the new borough and install the first PNM mayor.

A magnanimous Prime Minister even extended an open invitation to all, regardless of address or political affiliation, “To come with the PNM and let us build a nation together.”

Appealing to party faithful to “ignore the UNC,” which he said was bent on rejecting any measure introduced by the PNM, “hoping the country will collapse,” he said Siparia – the constituency held by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar – was the best place to offer his invitation.

“Siparia is a good place to put this call out, and I put this call out to all our citizens in the deep southland of our nation, to stop wasting your time and stopping the country’s development.

“Come join the PNM. Come let us build a nation together. As Merchant said to us in song, 'Come, my brother, come, my sister, let us build a nation together.'

“The fact that we are in different parts of the country or that we belong to different political parties, that is the system we use to organise our management.

“Elections are about choosing leaders to manage your affairs. It is not about making enemies and talking foolishness on platforms night after night.”

Candidates contesting seats for the regions of Siparia, Penal and Point Fortin for the upcoming August 14 local elections were introduced on Tuesday night.

Rowley who applauded the many young people offering themselves for service, again dismissed the UNC's claim that the PNM was planning to impose an inheritance tax.

Saying that was a lie, he said another lie being perpetuated by the UNC was that he was a dictator.

He told the audience dictators did not call elections, but Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal contended Rowley did not call the elections.

“The Privy Council did.” This was in reference to the successful legal challenge the UNC mounted against the government's proposal to extend the life of local government bodies for ayear.

On crime and criticism of his decision to collaborate with the US authorities and have vetted units in the police, Rowley said the UNC, which was ascribing to hold political office, had no magic potion to fix crime.

“They want to give you the impression that...somehow, their presence in government will put an end to criminal conduct.”

He disagreed, arguing, “When they were in office there was significant criminal misconduct.

“As a matter of fact, during Basdeo Panday tenure, they killed two people inside the Prime Minister compound. So what is this magic they have that if they in office crime going to stop?”

He said when Persad-Bissessar’s People’s Partnership demitted office in 2015, it left the PNM government with two things: “a period of economic decline and revenue reduction, and the other was a significant rise in the crime surge in the country.

“So bad was the crime surge during their tenure, they declared a state of emergency (SoE) to deal with it.

“Don’t let them and their stupid talk make you believe all was hunky-dory when they were in office.

“In fact, they were part of the criminal element, the white-collar one. When we came into office, that is what we met. We as a people have to deal with that. That’s what governments do when governments are elected – to deal with problems of today and the future.”