Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has declined the President’s invitation to attend the appointment of Stuart Young as the new prime minister at the President’s House today.
Insisting that his appointment is unconstitutional, Persad-Bissessar, when questioned by reporters at Phagwa celebrations in Penal on whether she would be attending today’s swearing-in, said, “No, I will not attend anything to give legitimacy to something that I think is unconstitutional. I do not intend to go to that ceremony.”
Persad-Bissessar had indicated at a United National Congress meeting on March 10, that they were prepared to file legal action if Young is appointed while Rowley remains the People’s National Movement leader.
When asked about this, she said the UNC would have to wait to see under which section President Christine Kangaloo has acted. “So, it would be premature at this time to make any statement.”
Persad-Bissessar said the opposition was expecting a new Cabinet as according to the constitution, when a new prime minister is sworn in, all ministers demit office, but she expects that the same “old ministers” would be reshuffled but in different spaces.
Assuring that if the election bell is rung the UNC was ready, she said they have screened all nominees and are in final talks with the Congress of the People (COP).
“The UNC is very ready. We have screened all of our nominees is just a matter of naming them.”
While COP has agreed to join the UNC’s Coalition of Interests the UNC confirmed that they have not had any talks with HOPE. Dismissing rumours that COP’s leader Prakash Ramadhar has been selected as the candidate for St Augustine, Persad-Bissessar said they already have a candidate for that seat. Whether Ramadhar would be selected as a candidate in the general election, she said that “is left to be seen. Discussions are ongoing.’
Asked when she will be naming the candidates, she said they expect to finalise talks with the COP on Tuesday and then “its full steam ahead.”
‘Sandals another
election gimmick’
Asked to respond to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s announcement that he had asked the head of Sandals to come to T&T to discuss a second attempt at building a hotel in Tobago, Persad-Bissessar claimed that was just an “election gimmick.”
“It’s all Sandals’ scandals all over again. It’s another election gimmick. This happens for every election. Prior to every election, there’s a promise. First, it was selling Petrotrin to the workers now it’s about bringing back Sandals, that will not happen in my lifetime under the PNM.”
Persad-Bissessar was accompanied by Indian High Commissioner Dr Pradeep Rajpurohit during yesterday’s Phagwa’s celebrations at the Petrotrin ((Trintoc) Recreation Grounds at Clarke Road in Penal.
Hosted by the Penal Debe Regional Corporation, attractions included chowtal singing, dancing and tassa.