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Kamla: Latest Cabinet reshuffle by Keith Rowley outrageous and insulting to people of Trinidad and Tobago
Posted On 09 Apr 2018
“Outrageous and insulting to the people of this country.” This is the way Leader of the Opposition Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP, is describing Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley’s latest Cabinet reshuffle.
The Leader of the Opposition issued the following statement.
Prime Minister Keith Rowley should pick up his pack of jokers and go.
In the case of Darryl Smith, in particular, the Prime Minister has ignored the call of all right-minded citizens of Trinidad & Tobago including, Womantra, the Opposition, independent commentators, and even the Trinidad Express Editorial of today.
Newspaper reports have shown that Ministry funds were used to settle a case in which the allegations of sexual harassment were made against Darryl Smith.
The Prime Minister not only needs to fire Smith but demand his resignation from the seat of Diego Martin Central. Darryl Smith no longer has the moral authority to represent the mothers, sisters and daughters of Diego Martin Central and he should resign his seat.
As a former Prime Minister, I am fully aware of how heavy the workload of the position can be. Keith Rowley will not have the time to perform his Prime Ministerial duties, which he is already neglecting, and run a mega-ministry such as the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. In effect, the Prime Minister has promoted Darryl Smith to Minister of Housing and Urban Development. One can only wonder how the female employees of the Ministry, HDC and UDECOTT must feel given the allegations against their new boss.
Keith Rowley has doubled down on rewarding bad behaviour by cycling and re-cycling scandal-plagued politicians.
Dr. Rowley has proven his impotence in not only managing ministers and their affairs but in also finding new talent to stop the government from imploding.
If the Prime Minister has so much confidence in his leadership and his team, he should test that confidence at the polls. It is now clear that the Prime Minister himself is unfit to lead. This Rowley-led Government is a disgrace. Dr. Rowley should do the right thing and call elections now.
