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Opposition Leader: Rowley is taking citizens for fools
Posted On 04 May 2023
The statement by Keith Rowley in today’s post-cabinet media briefing that he has “nothing to answer for” concerning the alarming illegal abduction of T&T national Brent Thomas from Barbados is unbelievable.
Rowley wants citizens to believe that as members of the National Security Council, he and Fitzgerald Hinds had no idea how police officers ASP Birch, Senior Supt Suzette Martin and Cpl Joefield were all able to commandeer a CARICOM aircraft, to forcibly and illegally detain and abduct Brent Thomas from Barbados.
It is my information that:
· If any police officer has to travel abroad for any duty, approval is required from the Minister of National Security.
· The Commissioner of Police does not have the authority to deploy officers to function in any operation outside of the jurisdiction of Trinidad and Tobago without government knowledge via the Minister of National Security.
· With respect to the use of a CARICOM aircraft, no Commissioner of police would have unfettered access, to use said aircraft at his or her pleasure without the Minister’s approval.
Therefore, the question must be asked, why hasn’t disciplinary action been taken against these officers for this illegal abduction?
It is unbelievable that Rowley’s sudden and highly suspicious trip to Barbados is a personal vacation that was planned in advance and not related to this expanding abduction scandal engulfing both governments.
It is clear that the independence of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service as well as our entire national security apparatus has been compromised under the gangsterism of this dictatorial Rowley regime.
All citizens need to be extremely concerned by this dangerous episode. This dictatorial PNM regime has undermined the rule of law to abduct and persecute Brent Thomas. If they get away with it, they will believe they can do the same to anyone and everyone.
Rowley is taking citizens for fools over the illegal abduction of Brent Thomas and is now behaving like a full-blown and out-of-control dictator.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP
Leader of the Opposition
4th May 2023
