Former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has labelled Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar a “jamette” for failing to provide evidence to support allegations that the People’s National Movement (PNM) is involved in criminal activity.
Rowley made the remarks during a news conference at his Glencoe home yesterday, responding to statements delivered by Persad-Bissessar in Parliament on Friday following her trip to the United States.
He said he tuned in to the parliamentary proceedings in anticipation of what had been billed as an important statement. During that address, Persad-Bissessar alleged that the PNM constructed its headquarters, Balisier House on Tranquillity Street in Port of Spain, using funds from narco-traffickers. She also accused the party of links to paedophiles.
In response, Rowley defended his tenure and long-standing involvement with the party.
“I led the PNM. I joined the PNM in 1974. I held high office in the PNM from 1987. I served the PNM in opposition and in government as minister of government, and I led the party for 15 years,” he said.
He then sharply criticised the prime minister’s claims.
“When the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago goes to the Parliament and says that work that took place in Balisier House under my stewardship was funded by narco-terrorists, I want to say to Mrs Kamla Persad, the predecessor today, I told this country before that you are a jamette.
“If (Persad-Bissessar) can’t come in front of me and show me an iota of evidence to support that allegation, I say again that we are unfortunate to have a jamette as the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
“Because only a jamette will do something like that, make a statement like that, and not be able to provide a modicum of proof or truth to support it. You will go inside the Parliament and say that, and accuse the PNM of paedophilia. You support the policies of Washington? Are you supporting the Epstein Files being given?” the former prime minister questioned.
Rowley also sought to turn attention to allegations involving members of the ruling United National Congress (UNC), referencing events surrounding the 2025 general election.
He recalled that the sitting Member of Parliament for Sangre Grande (Toco/Sangre Grande MP and Defence Minister Wayne Sturge) was associated with an individual who had been detained during a previous state of emergency.
“There was a particular gentleman who was a mover and shaker against us in that campaign. Literally, the wings beneath which the UNC candidate flew. He’s a minister. We had a period of state of emergency here, and the reason given then to the President was that a minister’s life was being threatened. That person was picked up under the powers of the state of emergency and kept until the power expired,” Rowley said.
“The person came out from there, we had another state of emergency, and then the person is executed in Sangre Grande in broad daylight. This Government, this UNC, wants us to believe that there’s no connection between that period of history and that incident in Sangre Grande,” he added.
Rowley was referring to the murder of businessman Danny Guerra, who was shot dead by two masked gunmen last Friday as he left his business, DG Homes.
Rowley also warned of the potential international implications of such claims.
“So, you eh care that you are damaging the country’s image with this lie. The Prime Minister is telling the Parliament that the previous prime minister was engaged with narco-traffickers,” he said.
