PM Persad-Bissessar Visits Diaspora in Brooklyn

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC, centre, cuts a special cake made for her during her visit to Conrad’s Bakery in Brooklyn, on Thursday night. Looking on at left, is Minister of Community Development, Winston “Gypsy” Peters.
PHOTOS COURTESY THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Despite her busy schedule attending meetings at the United Nations Headquarters here in New York, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC still found the time to visit nationals of Trinidad and Tobago in Brooklyn on Thursday night.

Her first stop was at Conrad’s Bakery where she was joined by Minister of Community development, Winston “Gypsy” Peters, who described himself as a “Brooklynite”.

It was not the first visit to Conrad’s Bakery by the Prime Minister, as she had visited the popular establishment on a previous trip. Inside and outside the Bakery, T&T nationals sought autographs and photographs with the Prime Minister.

The next stop was at the Tropical Paradise Ballroom where the Master of Ceremonies was former T&T radio DJ, Ian “Goose” Eligon.

The audience was bigger at this venue as nationals of T&T questioned the Prime Minister on matters affecting their native Trinidad and Tobago. Among the issues raised was the perceived increase in crime, the health sector, and the economy.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said that crime remains the Government’s number one concern. She pointed out that serious crime was down between 30 and 40 percent, although murders continue to be at an unacceptable level.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said with the establishment of the National Operations Centre (NOC), there was now a coordinated approach in dealing with crime, hence the reason for the drop in serious crimes.

In her conversation with the T&T nationals, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar spoke of her first task on becoming Prime Minister back in 2010, the establishment of the Children’s Life Fund, along with the construction of the Children’s Hospital in Couva.

She said Government was embarking on construction of new hospitals at Point Fortin, Arima, and Port-of-Spain.

September 26, 2014