Kamla: Govt making Trinis abroad homeless

ON YET another occasion, the Opposition Leader has accused the Prime Minister and his administration of abandoning citizens who are stranded abroad and have been refused exemptions to return home as TT's borders remain closed due to the covid19 pandemic.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, during a motorcade in Barrackpore on Monday, renewed calls for the borders to be open to allow citizens to come home.

"Bring back our citizens. You are bringing in CPL (Caribbean Premier League T20 cricket), bringing in foreigners. Why are you not bringing back our citizens? You have made them homeless," she charged.

Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the Government closed the country's border as a measure to flatten the curve. However, the Government has been granting exemptions to certain citizens.

At a recent UNC campaign meeting, she likened the issue of Trinis stranded overseas to the oppressiveness of slavery and indentureship. “It is not the closure of the borders, it's the refusal to bring our people home," she clarified on Monday.

“In indentureship and slavery, people were taken away from their homes and taken all over the world, and to TT. And now, the homes that they have made here, they have identifiable homes, you are preventing them from coming back to."

Asked to comment on some people deeming her likening the Rowley administration's refusal to bring Trinis back home to the oppressiveness of slavery and indentureship, Persad-Bissessar said, "It is inhumane and insensitive to abandon our citizens abroad.”

Scores of UNC supporters gathered at the corner of Cumuto and Rochard Douglas Roads in Barrackpore, at around 4 pm, for the event as music played from a truck. There was also live tassa music with supporters cheering on. Also at the event were UNC candidates for Naparima Rodney Charles and for Moruga/Tableland Michelle Benjamin.