PM disappointed with Rowley's budget presentation

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Tuesday addressed a concern raised by opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley in his budget presentation about her Government's investigations into several state institutions, including the UTT, Petrotrin and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago.

Rowley claimed that the investigating team appointed to conduct the audit comprises people are are "friends" of Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.

Speaking to reporters following Rowley’s budget Persad- Bissessar questioned whether Rowley's preference would be to "leave these things in place and keep these fiascos and the squandermania that took place”.

She added: “It is impugning the integrity of the persons who were appointed. If Dr Rowley has evidence, I’m sure he will bring it — there is none. All he did was alleged they were friends of the Attorney General. That’s not good enough.”

The Prime Minister told the media Persad- Bissessar Ramlogan would respond to Rowley’s allegations.

Persad-Bissessar also said she was disappointed with Rowley’s budget reply. “I thought I’d see something different. Having displaced his leader, I thought he will come with some of his plans and policies so I was disappointed at what he did, rehashing the same old policies which the country condemned when they voted against them...

“Mr Rowley replaced his leader, yet he stands today and defends the same failed policies of his former leader—Alutrint and Rapid Rail...he said not a word about crime, the number one priority in the country."