Moonilal answers questions about PM's India trip

PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar and members of her ministerial delegation in India

Leader of Government Business Roodal Moonilal provided detailed expenses Friday for the Prime Minister's official trip to India in January this year, noting that the official delegation and the expenditure were approved by cabinet.

He said the cost for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar travel assistant was $233,600. That person is the PM's sister, Vidwatie Newton. A substantial part of that cost would have been the high cost of air fare from Port of Spain to New Dehli.

Moonilal was responding to questions from Opposition MP Donna Cox with respect to the Prime Minister’s trip.

He stated that the delegation included close to 200 people, official and unofficial. The visit included a number of bilateral meetings with private and public entities in India in an attempt to attract investors to Trinidad & Tobago by presenting the country as India’s gateway to the South American markets.

Moonilal gave the following figures:

• Total expenditure from the Officer of the PM - $1,905,162 
• Ministry of Public Utilities - $200,860 
• Transport Ministry - $264,583 
• Energy Ministry - $340,882 
• National Security Ministry - $436,740 

Cox wanted specific costs incurred by State enterprises as well. However, Moonilal said Cox would have ask other ministers to explain the relevant questions.

Opposition Leader Keith Rowley questioned that. “Are we to understand that the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is saying that her office has no responsibility for the State enterprise sector on a trip which she led to India?” he asked.

Moonilal maintained his position that questions must be filed to the relevant Minister.

He said there were people from State enterprises and Government agencies who went on the trip and State funds were expended behind them.

Moonilal stated further that Foreign Affairs Minister Suruj Rambachan had previously provided a detailed statement on the state visit as it relates to developing this country’s economic strategies.

He said the trip was building on previous visits to India—including one led by now deceased former People’s National Movement Government Minister Ken Valley, who he said led a delegation to the Far East in 2007, at a cost of $10 million.

“This builds on the good work conducted by the former administration," he said. 

"It is not our purpose here to condemn the cost of the former administration but to indicate, Mr Speaker, that this trip was geared at opening markets in Trinidad and Tobago, it was also geared to developing trade links and, Mr Speaker, the cost was incurred to that end,” Moonilal added.