Roberts attacks Seepersad-Bachan's performance in energy

With just days to go before the international election to choose a new leader for the Congress of the People (COP), one of the candidates is standing firm on his criticism of his party colleague, Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan.

Sport Minister Anil Roberts has said Seepersad-Bachan, who has been moved from the energy ministry to Public Administration, has said Seepersad-Bachan treated him with contempt since becoming a minister and kept PNM advisers close to her.

Roberts said he supported the Prime Minister in her decision to make the change at the energy ministry, adding that Seepersad-Bachan was under performing.  

"She is one of the reasons why I am in the leadership race. If she would like me to discuss with her my views, she can call me anytime she wants," Roberts told the Express newspaper.

Roberts added, "We in the People's Partnership Government came in based on the corruption of the PNM...So if we won an election based on this, how is it possible that people voted for change and a minister would want to keep all the advisers who were advising Ken Julien?"

Seepersad-Bachan has defended her decision to do that but Roberts' argument is that she has behaved as if there are no other energy experts and professionals in the country.

"I have given up...trying to call Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan. She has never returned my call...I feel very sorry for her constituents," said Roberts.

Roberts also suggested that the former energy minister failed to attract foreign investment, citing one company that was interested in investing US$1Billion in the energy sector.  

"They have not received a call, an e-mail, a response acknowledging a Request for Proposal or to discuss because they could not get a response from her. This is very saddening to me, I have to now clear the air. She is misleading the members of the COP into attacking the Prime Minister and the Cabinet," he said.