Conspiracy to undermine PM, MPs; Volney fingers PNM operatives

Several government ministers have claimed that there is a plot to embarrass Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and undermine the good work that she has been doing in her constituency and nationally as a whole.

The plot involves "imported" people to stage protests and bad mouth members of parliament. St Joseph MP and Justice Minister Herbert Volney told the Express newspaper that he is a victim of the scheme.

"What is happening is people are being imported from all areas, different constituencies, to make it look as though we are not performing," Volney told the paper.

"Ever since we came into Government there has been no honeymoon period and this Government has been continuously attacked from all fronts,'' he added.

He pointed to the leader of the Opposition as being involved. Volney said Keith Rowley "walked in Maitagual, a part of my constituency that has traditionally supported the Opposition and he walked with people from all over the area except with the people of Maitagual." 

He said that pattern is not restricted to St Joseph. "It is happening all over the country; in the constituency of Collin Partap I have seen that happen; it has happened in my constituency, it is orchestrated by those against the Government who have their grouses," the minister said.

"What they are doing is trying to embarrass the Prime Minister. I saw a spokesman from the group that was protesting wearing a trade union uniform and there is a battle with the trade union over the five per cent wage gap," said Volney.

Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma supported the conspiracy theory as well. He said persons from Moruga and Arouca were identified as being part of the protest in the Siparia constituency of Persad-Bissessar.

The Local Government Minister said there were people last week in the fiery protests who were not from that area."It is simple for one to check, a number of persons who were protesting were not from her constituency, there were people there from Moruga and Arouca," said Sharma.

Sharma admitted that it would be "foolish" for any MP to expect that he or she has 100 per cent support. He added that there are also many people who would be upset because they believe services are not being delivered with the speed they would like.

Sharma noted that every government faces protests and suggested that if in the case of the present Prime Minister the whole thing is staged then it must be seen as a dangerous precedent.

Persad-Bissessar has been one of the most popular MPs in the country even before becoming leader and she still has strong support in Siparia as well as in other constituencies.

Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal, who is the MP for Oropouche East, said that is why he found the protests last week in the PM's constituency questionable.

"I found it curious that the protest would be in the Prime Minister's constituency where there has been an enormous amount of infrastructure work. The Siparia constituency has a full staff and they regularly, at least with me, aggressively represent the constituents," said Moonilal.

"The other curious development is that those persons who were contented to protest every morning did not form a delegation and visit the constituency office and have discussions with the relevant staff," added Moonilal.

"It's strange that the group of people are just happy making noises and putting on costumes. It may be part of the season,'' said Moonilal, who noted that mechanisms are in place to hear any person who has a problem.

The Express also asked Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial for her views on the matter.

Ramdial told the paper, "I think the facts that we have been getting so far is that there are some operatives out there working against the Government; from the evidence we want to suspect that some of these protests are being staged and therefore it is being done to undermine the MP's good work."

Chaguanas East MP Stephen Cadiz was cautious when the paper asked for his views. Cadiz noted that he cannot say if there is a plot. However he noted that if people have a problem there are better ways to deal with the matter other than burning tyres and inconveniencing people.

"Maybe that particular protest (in Penal) was not totally legitimate, but I would think that people would understand that the Prime Minister is the Prime Minister, she does not have the time that other members of Parliament have, she is responsible for looking after the entire nation," Cadiz told the Express.

Senator Danny Maharaj, who assists staff at the PM's Siparia constituency office insisted that Persad-Bissessar has not lost touch with the people of her constituency.

"The Prime Minister is visible in her constituency, she is totally in tune and intimate with the operations of her constituency office, she keeps in touch via e-mails, calls and comes down here to deliver on projects," said Maharaj.