Thursday, May 9, 2013

Rowley planning another no confidence motion

File: Keith Rowley
Keith Rowley is planning another no confidence motion in the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. 

The office of the Leader of the Opposition made the announcement in a one-line media release stating that Rowley is in the process preparing the motion and that further details would be available later. Rowley is out of the country, Balisier House told JYOTI.

Last month the Parliament debated an opposition motion on what it called the Prime Minister's failure to deal expeditously with the Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West. The motion was defeated 20-10.

In October last year the opposition was also defeated in a motion in which it attempted to censure Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, over the early proclamation of Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act. It was defeated by a vote of 25-11. 


And just over a year ago on March 03, 2012 the government soundly defeated a no confidence motion 29-11. Every MP except Patrick Manning was in the House of Representatives for the vote after a marathon debate and they voted along party lines. Manning was on medical leave following a stroke he suffered in January 2012.

Rowley knew that his motion would fail but said it was important to place on record his issues with the government and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

That caused some members of his party to question why Rowley insisted on going to Parliament to face certain defeat.

A top party insider, Port of Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing, got into hot waters with his leader for speaking out against Rowley and suggesting that the motion would have strengthened the Prime Minister's hand and that Rowley could take a beating on personal issues, such as Landate.

Lee Sing had written to party Chairman Franklyn Khan complaining that some people were even suggesting that Rowley was in "collusion" with the PM.

In a letter to Khan dated February 23, 2012 Lee sing said: “As preposterous as this sounds, it is a growing opinion outside the party which I believe I ought to bring to your attention.”

He went further and said "the leadership of our party has elected to pursue an archaic and less than democratic approach to party governance" and used the word "cabal" to describe a group within the party that was more concerned about casting out Manning demons from the party, "as if they still exist at all", instead of running a democratic institution.


“As I look at our party limp along within the Parliament it has much to do with Dr Rowley’s credibility as he is unable to take the risk in defending the party’s track which has much to defend,” Lee Sing said.

Lee Sing questioned the timing of the 2012 motion and predicted that "given the weak PNM team within the Parliament we will not only be outgunned, but outmatched."

His criticism of Rowley earned him a rebuke. Rolwey told reporters on March 5, 2012 Lee Sing's comments were "unfortunate". 

He added, “No general likes to know that when you go into battle...the first time the enemy fires his salvo, you turn tail and start firing on your own troops. No general likes that.” 

The PNM leader suggested that Lee Sing's aim was not to "strengthen our morale and added that the mayor's "untimely" intervention won't prevent him for his national objectives.

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Jai & Sero

Jai & Sero

Our family at home in Toronto 2008

Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai