Saddam: Young Must Apologize for Misleading the Parliament

Last Friday, I piloted a Private Member’s Motion to condemn the Government for its failure to deal with crime. I took issue with the gross incompetence of the Minister of National Security and his mismanagement of our border security. Central to the issue of border security is the Minister’s ability to utilise the coast guard vessels and related assets to properly protect our borders. It is the responsibility of the Minister of National Security to the citizens of our country to tell the truth about the status of the vessels in charge of protecting our borders. The taxpayers who funded these vessels deserved the truth in this matter. Minister Young deceived the Parliament by telling the citizens that the persons from the Netherlands were afraid to fly to Trinidad and Tobago due to COVID-19.

This is a blatant lie and gross misrepresentation of the truth to the people of Trinidad and Tobago. The Dutch Ambassador confirmed that one of the engineers had been here since October and another one came in the country in November.

Minister Young has painted himself in an inescapable position where he will not be able to get away from the lies and deception which he has perpetrated against the citizens. Minister Young would have been fully aware that the engineers were in the country since October. He would have been aware because he is the only person with the powers to grant an exemption for any person to enter the country. Minister Young was aware of the exemption he gave to Santa Clause but deliberately chose to hide the exemptions he gave to the persons responsible for repairing our naval assets.

Minister Young must apologize to the engineers who travelled to our country during the pandemic and he must apologise to the nation for grossly misleading the Parliament and the population. Apart from being incompetent he has now shown a propensity to cover his failures with untruths.