Expenses for PM's sister above board and justified

File: Two sisters - Wattie and Kamla relaxing after the CARICOM summit in Jamaica in 2010

The national media in Trinidad & Tobago is making a big fuss over expenses incurred by the government for travel, accommodation and per diem for the sister of of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Vidwatie Newton, who has accompanied the PM on many of her international trips. Her role is that of "Travel Assistant".

Travel is expensive so it is expected that anyone travelling with the Prime Minister will pay high fares. In the case of Newton the cost of her travel with the Prime Minister to and from Australia from October 19 to November 6, 2011 was $338,329.19.

The figure is published in the Sunday Express, which explained that it came from a cabinet note, a highly confidential private document.

The amount included airfares, hotels and a per diem allowance for both legs of the journey. The fact that it was a cabinet approved matter indicates that there was nothing secretive or unusual in the state paying for the necessary expenses for the PM's Travel Assistant.

In Perth, Australia - the venue for the Commonwealth Summit - the host government paid for the accommodation and other expenses for Newton, whom it recognised and accepted as a member of the official delegation.

Persad-Bissessar told reporters Saturday her sister's role is critically important. “I think any person who does the kind of job that I do would requires someone to assist them personally.”

“I trust my sister. I feel comfortable with having her handling my personal matters like food and medication. It is vital. It allows me to spend more time on my job,” she said.

Newton also handles her schedule on the overseas trips. She is not paid a salary or fee for this service, which she offers free to her sister, and by extension, the State.

Persad-Bissessar called the media and opposition hype over the one person "political mischief". She said, “It has been done before my time. Indeed, I am advised that former prime minister Robinson would take his son as his travel assistant."

On some trips Eric Williams and Patrick Manning took their personal physicians.

JYOTI can also confirm that Basdeo Maraj provided the same services that Newton offers and enjoyed the same travel, accommodation and per diem rights, serving under at least two Prime Ministers - George Chambers and Basdeo Panday.

Maraj was an employee in the Office of the Prime Minister and neither the media nor the opposition ever had an issue with what was a legitimate expense for a necessary service.

Newton performs a more meticulous service for the Prime Minister than any paid employee. She gave up her professional life in England to return home in 2010 to help Persad-Bissessar's political career without seeking any form of remuneration.

"I am very grateful to her for helping me. I can trust her with my personal things: my food, my clothing. She came for the internal election and within weeks when Mr Manning called the general election I had to say ‘come back’. She came immediately and has been here ever since,” she told the Express in an interview last year. (READ THE STORY - Wattie is a big help)

The Prime Minister has health problems as well, including Diabetes and other complications. Unlike other national leaders she does not travel with a personal physician; Newton is aware of her sister's medical needs and looks after these as well.