T&T UN ambassador says records show Rowley never visited mission

File photo: Ambassador Rodney Charles honoured by by former employers, COSTTATT 

Trinidad and Tobago's UN Ambassador Rodney Charles has refuted claims by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley about a visit by Rowley to the Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations in New York.

Rowley made the claim in Parliament, stating that he visited the mission in New York and that staff there told him about comments allegedly made by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan about the ethnic composition of the staff.

The government has provided evidence to show that Ramlogan never went there since taking office and demanded an apology from Rowley. He refused, insisting that his story is based on fact.

That led to a motion that landed Rowley before the Privileges Committee of the House of Representatives.

In a letter sent to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Charles referred to a newspaper article quoting Rowley as saying he visited the mission.
 

Charles assumed duties as head of the Mission in December, one month after the Opposition leader visited New York. 

In his letter he said he consulted staff and reviewed the Mission's records and has concluded that no such visit was ever paid "by either the Honourable Attorney General or the Opposition Leader in November 2010, or at any other time thereafter. Additionally, the Charge d' Affairs at the Mission at the said time, Ms Cheryl Ann Millard, has advised that no such meetings were held."

Charles said, "The Mission staff has also assured me that no communication was made to the Opposition Leader on matters pertaining to pension and "other concerns" as stated in the said article. 

"In fact, at a staff meeting held on April 27, 2011, staff emphatically stated that they would wish not to be associated with the allegations being made."

At a media conference on Monday Rowley appeared o back away from his original story. He said he would apologise at the appropriate time.

Rowley said he has been conducting “very detailed investigations on the matter and at this moment I can tell that there is some confusion with the facts.”

He said: “At the appropriate time, the correct information and any relevant apologies would be forthcoming.”