Kamla Persad-Bissessar continues to prove on a daily basis that she is indeed the Opposition’s biggest liability as it pushes tediously towards the next general election.
To think that the success of the country in its response to COVID-19 would grind and offend her so much, that she would choose to detract in such a petty manner from the internationally recognised effort of the Rowley Administration.
Like him or not, Dr Rowley had risen to the challenge of this present crisis and has led this country in a sober and intelligent manner. Never hesitating to credit the public health professionals and the science wherever such credit is due.
To the contrary, Persad-Bissessar’s advisors feel it prudent to not only negate the role of those who hold the legitimate, elected offices charged with the responsibility of steering T&T through this crisis, but to also downplay the valuable role of public health professionals like Dr Parasram by making the ludicrous assertion that this country’s success is due in large part to a cooperative climate. What a load of...
Without getting into the science—which has clearly and repeatedly disproved any link between sunlight/temperature and virus mitigation—and with just a casual glance at the empirical evidence—is there not a warm climate in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, etc?—even a fool would be quick to reject her “hypothesis” as being the product of envy and a burning desire for political relevance and renewal.
Trumpian misspeak aside, this was still only the second most deplorable thing said by Persad-Bissessar yesterday. Her other own goal, was in defence of her party’s ludicrous decision to abstain in last Friday’s vote on the Bail Amendment Bill. Her own unexplained absence from Parliament aside, she has once again thrown a harsh spotlight on her tendency to flip-flop on policy positions with the same degree of certainty as the wind.
It is egregious to think, that once again, a policy position that suited her party’s ends when it held the reins of power, could so casually be tossed aside now.
That the former prime minister had no philosophical objection to the illegal detention of thousands of poor, black youths, and the denial of Bail to hundreds more found in possession of a firearm, but Persad-Bissessar chooses to champion the rights of criminals found to be in possession of automatic assault weapons. Even when those rights are exercised at the expense of the rights and comforts of police officers and the law abiding majority.
So, today, we might choose to mock Persad-Bissessar for her appalling COVID-19 remarks, but the truth is that we ought to be far more concerned by the sinister underpinnings of her party’s decision to not just abstain in last Friday’s vote, but to abdicate its primary duty and obligation to the citizens of T&T.
A Bennett
San Fernando