PM: I never invited Fuad Abu Bakr to join PNM

THE PRIME Minister has denied a claim by New National Vision political leader Fuad Abu Bakr that he invited him into the PNM.

In a media report Monday Abu Bakr claimed Dr Rowley, the PNM's political leader, had asked him to get involved in the screening process despite not having the required paperwork.

On Thursday evening Abu Bakr arrived at Queen's Hall, Port of Spain,to be screened for the PNM for the Port of Spain South sea,t and told the media that there was an issue with his paperwork that was being sorted out. His statements were in contrast to comments by PNM PRO Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing that he would not be screened and Rowley, speaking at the post-Cabinet media conference, who said his name was not on the list of people to be screened.

In the media report on Monday, Abu Bakr claimed he spoke with both Rowley and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein, who had been appointed as liaison for the process. He also said that he told this to PNM general secretary Foster Cummings at Queen's Hall when he was told his paperwork was not in place.

Rowley, on his Facebook page early on Monday, described Abu Bakr's claims as "fanciful musings."

"Just for the benefit of the readers, permit me to state that I can’t remember the last time I spoke to the gentleman and most certainly have never invited him into the PNM, far less through a back door which is zealously and heavily guarded by the articles of the party’s constitution," he wrote.

"It is good to see him showing an interest in joining the PNM and wanting to do national service but in going about it in this bizarre way he has caused me to instruct the party’s general secretary to thank him for the interest shown and enclose a copy of the PNM's constitution with the relevant sections on membership, the screening process and candidate selection duly highlighted for ease of reference."

Olympic athlete Cleopatra Borel was chosen as the PNM Port of Spain South candidate, replacing the incumbent Marlene McDonald.