Padarath: Several caterers used for 4,000 attendees
Princes Town MP Barry Padarath in a press release slammed PNM PRO Stuart Young for purposely misleading the population once more on the issue of the People’s Partnership catering bill for its Divali Celebration, 2014 at the Prime Minister’s residence.
Padarath indicated that because of the volume of 4,000 attendees several caterers were used and therefore the 900 persons Young was referring to was part of the crowd that was catered for and not the total amount of attendees.
He indicated that over the past few days, photographs from the Facebook of former Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar had surfaced on social media, showing thousands of attendees at the Divali function in 2014.
Further, the Princes Town MP indicated that no one caterer was used for the function and therefore any invoice showing catering for 900 people would have been based on the amount given to each caterer to provide a full meal of Saheena, Pholourie, Channa, Pumpkin, Kurhi, Rice, Soya, Bhagie, Mango, Chatiegne, Roti, Cutlery and service charge.
Padarath said that the entire issue surrounding the catering for the 2014 Divali Celebration had serious undertones similar to the comments made prior to the Tobago House of Assembly election. He added that the population was not going to be fooled for a third time by divisive tactics and instead wanted the government to focus on the economy, the creation of jobs and bringing down crime and high food prices.
The Princes Town MP called on the population to reject US election styled tactics being used by the PNM in the run up to the local government election. He said that the UNC was focused on continuing to work for the people of Trinidad and Tobago and that the population knew that the UNC has a track record of delivery and no amount of discriminatory distractions was going to distract them from removing the PNM.
Padarath stated that invitees were split into two groups half was invited at 5pm and half was invited at 6:30pm to accommodate a turnaround for both a dinner and a cultural show.
Padarath reiterated his call for Prime Minister Keith Rowley to produce a bill for $350,000 in roti and further indicated that the Prime Minister has been inconsistent in his story and in his figures and needed to produce the bill for $350,000 in roti or apologise.
He also called on the population to do like the residents of Charlieville yesterday and reject Rowley’s roti talk and to start demanding that the government settle down and get to work and stop playing the blame game.