Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles cannot remove Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi because he is untouchable and protected by People’s National Movement (PNM) “fake elite financiers”, whom she claimed have hijacked and owned the party since 2010.
In a post on her social media on Friday night, Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition “hastily fled” Parliament on Friday night upon the call to remove Al-Rawi from the Senate.
‘PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGE’: Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi leaves the sitting of the Upper House in Parliament on Friday. —Photo: ISHMAEL SALANDY
“They showed themselves to be a party totally controlled by its fake-elite financiers, existing only to serve them,” she said.
She added, “It appears that Pennelope Beckles cannot touch Faris Al-Rawi, as she must adhere to the dictates of the PNM’s financiers, who have slyly replaced the former PNM leadership with her.”
Persad-Bissessar continued, “Astonishingly, for some people but not me, MP Beckles and the PNM did not flee when the Government called for Senator (Janelle) John-Bates’ removal; the fleeing occurred at the precise moment MP Jearlean John called for MP Beckles to remove Senator Faris Al-Rawi for his role in this scandal.”
The Prime Minister stated that the issues before the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) concerned the questionable payment of billions of dollars to suppliers for pharmaceutical contracts under former minister of health Terrence Deyalsingh.
She said the PAAC report sets out serious findings of unethical and possibly illegal conduct by PNM senators John-Bates and Al-Rawi, in the evidence for a witness appearing before that same committee.
Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition’s “flight” from Parliament was a deliberate refusal by Beckles to demonstrate to the nation that she has the authority to make decisions regarding the PNM’s operations in the best interests of that party and, by extension, the country.
Persad-Bissessar concluded, “The current hierarchy of the PNM cannot touch Faris Al-Rawi because he is protected by the PNM’s fake elite financiers, who have hijacked and owned the PNM since 2010.”
Faris: I’m bound by professional privilege
Contacted by the Sunday Express for comment yesterday, Al-Rawi said it has been 16 years since Persad-Bissessar has been calling for his head.
He added: “Today, I celebrate a birthday along with my friend Brian Charles Lara, and I think that my response to Mrs Persad-Bissessar is that I view her attempts to be very much like the googlies thrown behind the backs of batsmen that perform the best for their team. All that I will say to her is that the courts of this land will deal with the matters as I am bound by legal professional privilege to represent my client’s interest, whilst I wish that I could say a lot more.”
At the Parliament sitting on Friday, Government Minister Saddam Hosein moved a motion to adopt the PAAC Special Report which called on the House to examine the conduct of John-Bates.
Hosein said that while John-Bates is at the centre of the controversy, Al-Rawi is probably more guilty than her, as he detailed Al-Rawi’s changes to former health minister Terrence Deyalsingh’s witness statement which he submitted to the PAAC.
He said Opposition members were happy he was raising the matter, as it exposes Beckles’ “weak” leadership, prompting Opposition MP Colm Imbert to raise an immediate objection, which Deputy Speaker Dr Aiyna Ali overruled.
Hosein continued to criticise Beckles’ leadership, with repeated objections from Imbert and Opposition MP Nyan Gadsby-Dolly.
Hosein questioned whether Beckles was afraid of Al-Rawi.
He sought to amend the motion, asking the House to condemn the conduct of John-Bates and Al-Rawi, and to call on the Opposition Leader to advise the President to revoke their appointments. However, the Deputy Speaker said Hosein’s amendment was not admissible.
The debate escalated further, leading to the Opposition walking out of the Chamber.
