Former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says he was detained during a stopover in Antigua and Barbuda Monday and informed his name was placed on an INTERPOL watch list, describing the incident as “state-sponsored slander.”
Rowley, a trained geologist who stepped back from active politics in April, was en route to Montserrat to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory’s scientific opening when he was stopped.
“This is not just a mistake, it is a deliberate, calculated attempt to tarnish my name on an international stage,” Rowley said, calling the episode “vicious defamation.”
At a press conference, he demanded answers from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro regarding their possible roles in the watch list flagging.
“What crime or interest do I pose that justifies this?” Rowley questioned. “Let the people of this country know what you are accusing me of—because I have done nothing wrong.”
Rowley warned that if such measures can be taken against a former prime minister, “imagine what can be done to the average citizen.” The controversy intensifies debates over political influence within national institutions.
