No abuse in hamper distribution: PM Kamla

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Friday rejected claims from Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley that State funds were "abused" in the distribution of Christmas hampers to all 41 MPs to give to needy persons in their respective constituencies.

"Where is the abuse? If it is done equitably, where is the abuse?” she asked, noting that while state funds were used for the hampers the entire process was done “transparently and openly.”

She said, “It is most unfortunate that he should take such a view at a time when we are seeking to treat with the vulnerable in our society.”

Persad-Bissessar recalled that under the PNM, the Office of the Prime Minister did oversee the distribution of hampers at Christmas but the difference at that time was that constituencies represented by UNC MPs never received any.

She explained to reporters that she chose Preysal as a distribution point because of its central location and because time was so short to get the hampers to all 41 constituencies.

While Rowley said he instructed all 12 PNM MPs not to collect hampers, Persad-Bissessar said she was advised that some PNM officials collected hampers at Preysal on Thursday.

Social Development Minister Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh said the hamper distribution was budgeted to cost $1.23 million and this money came from funds which the ministry had specifically allocated for poverty reduction and food security.

The minister said while he would have preferred to have more than one distribution centre, the logistics of doing so was impossible given the short time period. He said this would be an annual event, adding that the Government would review its first event to see how to improve it for 2011.

Housing and Environment Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal said Rowley behaved like "Scrooge at a time of joy and cheer” and dismissed Rowley’s claims as “completely absurd.”

He slammed Rowley for being part of a government that approved “secret scholarships” for its supporters. “He had no difficulty with that but he has a difficulty with giving hampers to poor people,” Moonilal told reporters.

The minister offered to take responsibility for handing out hampers to the needy in the San Fernando East constituency, which is represented by former PM Patrick Manning. Moonilal's first venture into electoral political was in that constituency when he ran unsuccessfully against Manning in the 2000 general election.