Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner has defended Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's decision to place T&T on a storm warning on Friday afternoon. Warner, in a statement yesterday, was responding to Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley's criticism of the PMs decision. Rowley did so in an address to a function of the People's National Movement (PNM) on Saturday. Rowley said the country suffered heavy financial losses because of the PM's decision to shut down the country because of a storm threat. Rowley said Persad-Bissessar and her Government had "overacted to the point where they shut the country down yesterday morning causing millions in losses and inconveniences well beyond what any storm might have caused."
But Warner took Rowley to task, saying he showed a lack of responsibility by criticising Persad-Bissessar. He said instead of commending the PM for acting decisively to protect citizens if the threat had become reality, Rowley chose to engage in cheap politics. Warner insisted that based on the professional information emanating from the Meteorological Office in Piarco and those abroad "did Dr Rowley expect the PM to wait until the storm clouds burst and the flood waters begin to rise before taking a decision to guarantee the safety of people?"
Warner said Rowley's analysis of the situation was "evident that he lacks the foresight and vision to lead the PNM and this country." He also commented on Rowley's claim that: "Because you have a woman in charge does not guarantee you good governance. Because if you had good governance you would not have had the public humiliation of the ODPM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management) staff and you would have had kissing up to the political directorate." Warner said he preferred to be governed by a proactive woman when the country was under threat than by a man whose reaction can leave the nation in peril.