Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says she will not give up her appointment as Senior Counsel and has accused Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley of creating political mischief by calling on her to give up the title. Persad-Bissessar said so last night, during a news conference at the Diplomatic Lounge of Piarco International Airport on her return from a two-week official trip to India with several ministers and other government officials. Rowley had issued the call during Persad-Bissessar's trip abroad. She said Attorney General Anand Ramlogan had stated the Government's intention to have a Green Paper drafted and put out for public comment on the entire issue of the awarding of silk.
Persad-Bissessar was invited to the podium yesterday by Parliamentary Secretary in the Foreign Affairs and Communications Ministry, Nicole Dyer-Griffith, who identified her as Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC. Persad-Bissessar said it would be wrong to call on people to give back the award because several others who received the appointment over the past 50 years would have to also give it back. She said the Government would be guided by the comments of the public and the stakeholders during consultations on the issue shortly.
Dealing with crime, Persad-Bissessar said the Government was committed to reducing the level of crime in the country. She said, however, that this could not be achieved in the short time the People's Partnership Government had been in office-less than two years. Persad-Bissessar said crime continued to be a major issue before the Government and all measures would be put in place to reduce it. She added that the crime rate under the former PNM government was very high.
The Prime Minister said with the declaration of a state of emergency in T&T last year, the crime rate had been the lowest in the past six years. She also denied claims that the police had been operating under the direct control of her Government. She said that claim was the furthest from the truth. She said the former Patrick Manning-led government had done certain things which should show that it was that government that was controlling the service.
Persad-Bissessar the mission to India was very successful and the results of the meetings there would be seen in the months ahead. She was greeted by several hundreds of supporters at the airport. Works and Infrastructure Minister Jack Warner was not present for the welcome. Trade and Industry Minister Stephen Cadiz and Foreign Affairs and Communications Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan did not return with the PM.