Trinadad Government accused of being connected with Al Qaeda
Trinidad Prime Minister,
Patrick Manning, Trinidad Opposition Leader,
Basdeo Panday
Former Trinidadian prime minister, now Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday has accused the Government of having an association with Al Qaeda terrorist connections in Trinidad and Tobago.
Panday said this in an interview with the Express newspaper while responding to claims by Prime Minister Patrick Manning that it was the UNC to blame for the "unwarranted" British travel advisory, warning against travel to this country because of terrorist threats.
Panday said: "Whatever we have had to say (while abroad) would have had no effect on the decision to ban the (cruise) ships from coming here."
Panday added that it was well known "that there was Al Qaeda connections in Trinidad and it is well known that the Government was in association with those elements just before the (October 7, 2002) elections. It's known."
Accoding to the Express, Panday said it was Manning's conduct which had led to this situation. The former Prime Minister described Manning's statement on the travel advisory in Parliament last Friday as "the most stupid statement I have heard in the longest while."
He added that Manning was in fact presuming that the British and United States Governments have "no intelligence and that they do not know what is going on here."
Panday argued that those countries have intelligence that was far superior to that of Trinidad and Tobago "and they know, more than us, what is going on here."
Panday said the decision to send three top level officials abroad to address this matter will be unsuccessful.
"And whatever these itinerant ministers may tell them will be of no consequence because they know the truth," Panday added.
Dealing with the issue of crime, Panday said he warned of such a situation prior to the last general election.
Panday said he made an association then of the PNM Government with criminals. Panday said he warned that "these criminals whom they have hired in order to help them win the elections will be a tragedy for this country."
Panday said if the party won by thuggery it will have to rule by thuggery. He said that was what was taking place in the society.
Panday also said he would be willing to meet with Manning to discuss a nominee for President. Panday said the UNC would not be nominating anyone if it found favour with the Government's nominee.