PM Kamla fires Colin Partap

Colin Partap - FIRED

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Sunday fired Colin Partap, the junior minister in the Ministry of National Security.

A brief statement from the office of the PM (OPM) advised the media of the development.

"I have decided to advise the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, His Excellency Professor George Maxwell Richards, to revoke the appointment of Minister Colin Partap with immediate effect.

"This decision was made subsequent to reports received from the Ministry of National Security and Mr. Colin Partap."

Partap is the MP for Cumoto/Manzanilla.

Partap had been detained by police the day before for refusing to take a breathalyser test. Police stopped Partap at around five in the morning in Port of Spain for activating a police-issued blue swivel light and for turning on an emergency siren in his vehicle.

Police reports say the officers then noticed Partap was in the driver's seat and that he had a bottle of alcohol in his hand. That's when they asked him to take the test.

Police reported that Partap refused to take the test at the site and continued to refuse to do it even after he was taken to the Belmont Police Station.

Patap eventually took the test after acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams arrived at the station. The test, which was administered within an hour of Partap being stopped, showed that the blood alcohol level was within the legal limit.

Williams confirmed to local media that he "stepped in to take charge of the situation involving Minister Partap". He told the Express newspaper, "It was imperative for me to assume direct leadership, and the matter was addressed. I am preparing an official report for the Minister of National Security on the matter."

National Security Minister Jack Warner issued a statement outlining some of the details. It said, "I informed the DCP that I was in church and would call after my morning service had ended. I did so at about 7 a.m. and was advised that breathalyser tests were conducted on Minister Partap and the results showed he was within the legal limit and that a report would be filed with me on the entire matter.

"The acting Commissioner confirmed the advice which had been given to me. I await his report before making any further comment on the matter. I thank the acting Commissioner. I await his report before making any further comment on the matter," he said.

Partap could face a hefty fine or even be sent to jail for refusing to take the test. The relevant law states that "where a person, without reasonable excuse, fails to provide a specimen of breath, he is guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine of $8,000 or to imprisonment for three years".

The law also states that two separate breath specimens be provided and "there must be an interval of not less than two minutes and not more than ten minutes between the provision of specimens".