Rowley calls for end to Trinidad and Tobago state of emergency, accuses government of abuse

Former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley on Tuesday called on the government to immediately end the country’s state of emergency (SoE), while rejecting Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s accusation that critics of her administration’s anti-crime measures are attempting to inflame racial tensions.

Rowley, in a statement posted on Facebook, accused the government of acting with “spite,” “vindictiveness,” and incompetence during the month-long state of emergency, which was declared as authorities intensified efforts to combat crime.

“Surprise! Surprise! The Prime Minister thought that bigotry and racist remarks were reserved only for her use,” Rowley wrote. “When she called me an Oreo in the service of the one per cent, what did she think that was, her birthright?”

Rowley was referring to comments previously made by Persad-Bissessar in which she described him as an “Oreo” — a term often used as an insult suggesting a person is disconnected from their racial or cultural identity.

He said the government’s actions had been exposed following a legal setback at the Privy Council involving the detention of prominent businessman Dominic Hadeed and his wife, Genevieve Hadeed, who were held for nearly a month over allegations of involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate Persad-Bissessar and senior members of her administration.

“It took an embarrassing collapse at the Privy Council to slow them down, even as they pushed back against the reasoning of our Court of Appeal,” Rowley said.

Earlier this week, Persad-Bissessar accused critics of her government’s crime-fighting campaign of spreading misinformation and attempting to create divisions between Trinidad and Tobago’s two main ethnic groups.

In a statement posted on social media, she alleged that individuals who had benefited from criminal activity were “spreading false narratives to stoke hatred between the two major ethnic groups” while attacking the country’s protective services and the United States for supporting Trinidad and Tobago’s crime-fighting efforts.

She also accused social media trolls, “race grifters,” commentators, and some members of the mainstream media of participating in those attacks.

“Since the increase in American support to our protective services began last year, we have witnessed a heightened unease and furor among those who have built their wealth and social status by upholding illegality and criminality,” Persad-Bissessar said.

The prime minister said members of the Police Service, Defence Force, Strategic Services Agency (SSA), and Prison Service had remained committed to their duties despite criticism from what she described as criminal interests and their supporters.

She also vowed that her administration would continue working with international partners to dismantle the country’s “local drug mafia.”

“For too long, this country has accepted a tiered justice system in which different rules, conditions and treatment apply to persons and groups in society based on income levels, ethnicity, where they live and who they fund,” Persad-Bissessar said. “Time has come to an end. No one’s wealth or social status will put them above the law.”

Rowley, however, accused the government of using the state of emergency to abuse state power and target citizens for political purposes.

“Now that the population has been made aware of the recklessness of this administration, which is hiding under a state of emergency in order to abuse the machinery of the state as they try to settle personal and political scores against citizens, one would expect that a government so exposed and disgraced will humble itself,” he said.

He also criticized Persad-Bissessar’s comments that the alleged assassination plot investigation had expanded to include foreign agencies.

The prime minister previously told the Trinidad Guardian that the investigation had widened beyond its original scope and involved multiple jurisdictions, foreign intelligence agencies, new individuals, financial institutions, and businesses.

“I would not have any specific details on the ongoing local and foreign investigations,” Persad-Bissessar said. “I am advised that multiple foreign intelligence and investigative agencies are involved and that new persons, financial institutions and businesses have been identified in the expanding investigation.”

Rowley questioned why the government had not brought charges if it had evidence of criminal activity.

“For one whole month they have been on the attack without evidence and could not lay a charge or defend their position of jailing people without charge,” he said.

“Is it that a foreign country will intervene to save this government from the people, or is it that this government is feeding lies and entreaties to outsiders inviting them to act against our citizens?”

Rowley called on the government to end the state of emergency, which is scheduled to expire in September, and urged Persad-Bissessar to remove Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander and Attorney General John Jeremie.

He also criticized the government’s claims about increased U.S. support for Trinidad and Tobago’s crime-fighting efforts, describing the statement as “downright foolishness” and accusing the administration of compromising national sovereignty.

“The statement that the US government is now helping TT in the fight against crime is downright foolishness. They have been doing so for decades,” Rowley said.

He also criticized government spending on legal fees related to the ongoing matters, accusing officials of misleading taxpayers.