A former United National Congress (UNC) MP told the 1990 Muslimeen coup inquiry on Tuesday he found it strange that Basdeo Panday, House Speaker Nizam Mohammed and the Opposition Leader at the time, Patrick Manning, were all absent from the Red House on the day the Muslimeen stormed the Parliament.
Raymond Palackdharrysingh said he has asked himself if they had been tipped off about the Muslimeen plan.
Raymond Palackdharrysingh said he has asked himself if they had been tipped off about the Muslimeen plan.
He said he began to reach this conclusion when he heard that Panday had said, "Wake me up when it is all over." The former MP said while he was "disillusioned" by Panday's response he never discussed it with him.
Palackdharrysingh also stated that when the Muslimeen gunmen stormed the chamber, they asked for Basdeo Panday, George Weekes and Muriel Donawa-McDavidson.
Palackdharrysingh also stated that when the Muslimeen gunmen stormed the chamber, they asked for Basdeo Panday, George Weekes and Muriel Donawa-McDavidson.
He said the Muslimeen were protecting them: "They said, 'Find these people and give them safe passage out of there,'" he told the commissioners.
With respect to Mohammed's absence, he said: "The Speaker is the one who controls the House and his absence at the time of the insurrection has to really jog your thinking." He suggested he did not want to make a religious connection since Mohammed and the insurrectionists were Muslims. However he said, "the thought must enter the mind."
He said he expected that both Panday and Manning should have been in the chamber given the significance of the debate. The House of Representatives was debating allegations against the former PNM government with respect to the Tesoro oil corporation.
With respect to Mohammed's absence, he said: "The Speaker is the one who controls the House and his absence at the time of the insurrection has to really jog your thinking." He suggested he did not want to make a religious connection since Mohammed and the insurrectionists were Muslims. However he said, "the thought must enter the mind."
He said he expected that both Panday and Manning should have been in the chamber given the significance of the debate. The House of Representatives was debating allegations against the former PNM government with respect to the Tesoro oil corporation.
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