Gail Alexander
“Run dem out of taking T&T backward!”
That was the roar for the August 20 General Election from People's National Movement San Fernando West candidate Faris Al-Rawi at last night’s San Fernando West “meetup”.
Al-Rawi warned voters against voting for a party who had a cabal “you ent see yet and who will be there to prop Kamla – there can be no greater tragedy to the economy.”
He said $8 billion in $100 notes were in circulation when the Central Bank started the process to change over the paper notes to the new polymer notes but only $7.5 billion was turned in and $500 million was missing.
He said voters shouldn't take any old $100 notes the United National Congress might offer with the promise of converting it when they return to Government.
“Don’t fall for stupidity and accept the UNC barrel of tief money in the ground they want to give you - the law won’t allow for the remonetisation of money,” Al-Rawi said.
He said “Aunty Kamla" was afraid of him and PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley and she had to call his name at meetings because she had a pick-up side of people “who in previous years in her government arrived in Parliament in a second-hand RAV4 and left Government with Range Rovers like dinner mints ..."
Concerned about the UNC’s plan to repeal all laws passed by the PNM, he said the police is now engaged in taking action rapidly “but people want to slow down the system.” As a result of changes in law, he noted the 96 per cent drop in court caseloads.
He also warned about UNC San Fernando West candidate Sean Sobers, whom he said “talks and plays nice and plays above the fray."
He listed a number of initiatives in the constituency done despite the economic crunch. Al-Rawi said this means 15,000 jobs. He said the UNC's plan was like a Subway offering “plenty for $20: 5,000 jobs but you don’t know where."
Speaking earlier, San Fernando East candidate Brian Manning said after stabilising T&T after the pandemic, a PNM government will focus on creating jobs and social and local services. He said digitisation will create thousands of jobs and T&T will become the hub for energy and other services.
“The time to come together is now – this is a time for strong sober leadership,” Manning said, lauding Rowley’s stewardship.
Manning said Government has had to make tough decisions, the kind no one likes, “Data-driven and careful decisions have kept us safe – not sunlight.”
He said PNM had led T&T through myriad problems, including the worst financial crisis in history and the historic pandemic.
