UNC: Gross Violation of the Constitution

Robert Le Hunte (left) being sworn in as Public Utilities Minister alongside President Anthony Carmona (right).

The United National Congress has expressed amazement at the sheer incompetence once again displayed by this Keith Rowley-led administration. The latest firing of Robert Le Hunte has once again brought to the forefront that this Government cannot accomplish the most basic tasks of being “in charge.” The inability of the Prime Minister to fill a Cabinet vacancy, without incident, is a failure of leadership in the highest order.

The action taken by the Prime Minister today is not a simple matter. He has acknowledged that the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago has been violated and that this breach, under his hand, has brought the Office of the President into disrepute, again. A remedy to this situation cannot simply be a reappointment of Mr. Le Hunte once his situation is “rectified”.

His Excellency the President acted on the advice of the Prime Minister in appointing Mr. Le Hunte as a Minister and a Senator, therefore the Prime Minister effectively ill-advised and mislead the President. Dr Rowley took a oath to safeguard and protect our Constitution, however this latest debacle has demonstrated that he is either unwilling or incapable of this function and there must be consequences for this breach.

Reappointment of Mr. Le Hunte is not an option and the Opposition will not accept this matter as a mere faux pas. Any attempts by the PNM to paint this gross violation of our Constitution, as a mistake, will not be accepted. Mr Le Hunte, as Minister of Public Utilities had an even shorter tenure than the previous record breaking revocation.

The suggestion that this could be easily rectified and swept under the rug, is as ludicrous as the PNM’s mode of governing. This is a breach of the Constitution and laws of Trinidad and Tobago, the Prime Minister has to accept responsibility for bringing the two highest offices in our land into disrepute, and therefore reappointing Mr. Le Hunte will be met with tremendous resistance.

“If Dr Rowley could not be bothered to check something as simple and obvious as citizenship, this begs the question, what has he checked?”

“This brings into question all the appointments made under Keith Rowley’s tenure because clearly it is an inherently flawed vetting process.”

Rowley himself said “The most important assignment that a Prime Minister will have is selecting the right people for the positions they are being put.” By his own measure he has failed.

The Prime Minister’s cavalier attitude towards appointments cannot be allowed to continue. Running the country is serious business and Keith Rowley and his colleagues are clearly not up to the task, they continue to be red and ridiculous while the country suffers.