PM stayed at house in Tunapuna in 2010 at no cost to taxpayer: Moonilal

Roodal Moonilal told the Senate Tuesday Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar stayed at a house in Tunapuna in East Trinidad following her victory at the polls last year at no cost to the taxpayer.

The government House leader made the disclosure at a sitting of the Senate in answer to questions from opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds.

The questions from hinds were: 

(a) Whether the services of the Trinidad and Tobago Police were used for the protection of any residence occupied by the Honourable Prime Minister (other than the official residence), at any time after May 24, 2010
(b) If the answer to (a) is in the affirmative, what is the address of this residence?”

Moonilal said the Prime Minister stayed at the private residence because she had offered President Richards the use of the Prime Minister’s official since a section of President’s House had collapsed days before the general election.

He explained that the Prime Minister had a hectic schedule to maintain and having made the offer to the president to use the official residence she “chose to stay at times, generally during the week, to stay at a house in Tunapuna”.

Moonilal said the Prime Minister made the choice to stay in Tunapuana rather than use “an executive suite at the Hyatt or the Hilton” at great expenditure. He said  she “rejected a hotel or any other accommodation that would incur tax payers’ money”.

He also confirmed that Persad-Bissessar was given a security detail at the Gopaul house, "as is normal for any Prime Minister".